Into the Wild
by Kronus96
Summary: There are millions of trainers throughout the world, but only a select few earn the title of Pokemon Master. With his faithful Swinub at his side, Ash Ketchum will journey across Kanto to fulfill his dream of becoming the greatest master in the world. Mix of anime, manga, and games. Gradually Powerful!Ash
1. Chapter 1

I am basing the creature's sizes off of real animals. I decided to make Professor Oak Ash's adoptive family here instead of introducing original characters for family. Their relationship always had that feeling to me anyway.

Also, Ash's Pikachu will remain wild in this story.

I own nothing, please support the official release.

Chapter one: Bulbasaur

* * *

"Gramps where's the new trainer?" Ash scowled tapping his foot expectantly.

"I'm sure he'll be here soon shown," Oak uttered, laying a soothing hand on the boy's shoulder.

"How could anyone be late on the most important day of their life?" The idea of it baffled the boy. This day was the one he had been looking forward to for as he understood what it meant.

"Why don't you go ahead and release Bulbasaur? She would love to meet you!" His grandfather said with a slightly strained smile.

"Okay," he said with a sigh and drooping shoulders. He was beginning to regret volunteering to help the new kid; he had been waiting for more than two hours. The thirteen-year-old took a deep, slow breath. The boy couldn't be angry when he met Bulbasaur. She might take it personally and that could take a while to correct. Ash made his way toward the door, his grandfather a step behind him.

Ash watched the newly released Bulbasaur curiously. She was sniffing her new surroundings with the intensity of a young Houndour surrounded by fire hydrants. Finally, the tiny grass-type turned to him. Bulbasaur jumped and backpedaled so quickly that she flipped landing hard on her bulb. The boy blinked at the flailing Pokemon. Had she not noticed them at all? He knelt next to her and to his dismay, her desperate flailing increased. The brown-eyed boy's brow furrowed. _What could have made her like this? Or is she just naturally shy?_ The boy pushed the tiny dinosaur off her back and onto her feet.

Bulbasaur stared at him with clear suspicion, but allowed him to pet her. It took several seconds for the grass type to relax into the sensation. Ash smiled - carefully avoiding showing his teeth - at the now purring cow. "How old is she Gramps?"

"Hmm, If I were to guess, I would say that she's about oneish," the professor said after a moment his gray eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"How'd you know?" Ash asked while coaxing Bulbasaur into his lap. She crawled onto him with slight hesitation. Ash's lips quirked into a small smile, it wasn't trust, but it was a start.

"Her bulb," his grandfather remarked. The elderly man lowered himself to a knee slowly with a grunt. "An infantile Bulbasaur's bulb is a very light green, and weighs less than a third of what her bulb likely does, certainly not enough to keep her on her back," the gray haired man said offering his hand to the purring dinosaur. Ash's smile widened when she let Oak pet her bulb. As Bulbasaur's purrs increased in volume, she released a sweet scent similar to a freshly baked Oran berry pie. The boy sighed happily, his earlier frustrations forgotten. A light cough expanded the boy's world outside of his new Pokemon. His grandfather had risen - much to Bulbasaur's disappointment - and pointed behind him.

"Sis!" the boy exclaimed happily leaning back as far as he could without dislodging the grass type in his lap. Bulbasaur rolled off his lap with a cry and landed back onto her bulb." I'm sorry!" Ash cried helping the Pokemon onto her feet. She glared at Ash and Daisy. The boy smiled when a familiar snort came from behind him. "Pins how'd the mission go?"

"Usually, you ask the trainer how things went," Daisy mumbled with a pout.

"Sorry," he said, smiling sheepishly. "How're you two?" he asked, this time addressing the Nidoking and the young woman, while patting Pins's massive purple arm. Even with his recent growth spurt, he couldn't reach the giant Nidoking's shoulder.

"We're great! They never stood a chance!" she said proudly her head held high and back straight. Pins snorted and puffed his chest out, making his prodigious ten feet seem even more formidable.

"That's great!" Ash said, grinning widely.

"Very impressive," Oak added with a small smile. The elderly man's sharp gray eyes scanned his granddaughter's and her partner's forms. Ash rolled his eyes; the old man could be as overprotective as his mother.

"Anyway," the boy said, clearing his throat, "this is my new Pokemon, Bulbasaur!" Ash lifted the grass-poison-type from behind him and pushed her toward Daisy. The Pokemon cowered when the Nidoking turned his full attention to her. "It's okay! Pins is just a big Growlithe when you know him!" Ash said, cradling the grass-poison-type. _How could I forget how shy, she is, a Nidoking would have seemed like the Great One to her._ Let alone a giant like his sister's starter. Pins rolled his eyes; the young monarch seemed to disagree with his comparison to a puppy. The purple poison-type sank to a knee and offered Bulbasaur a dull claw. The grass-type sniffed the claw twice and then regarded the giant carefully. She snorted cautiously at the poison king, no longer frightened but still weary of the Pokemon before her. The Nido rumbled giving the little Pokemon a gentle, almost fatherly look.

"Pins, I think Plains would like to see you," Oak interjected his tone gentle, "Dora would as well I imagine," he added as an afterthought. Pins grunted and lifted Daisy onto his shoulder in a single smooth motion. The king gave Ash and Bulbasaur a wave and offered the professor a respectful nod.

"Guess I'm gonna visit too! Ash have fun! And smack Gary for me!" Daisy laughed as the young monarch marched towards the old bull's territory.

"I will!" the raven-haired boy cried. Bulbasaur hissed and wiggled at his volume." Sorry, girl," he offered smiling weakly. Ash's brow furrowed as he remembered, he was waiting for more than the new trainer. "Gramps where's Wave and Gore?"

"Probably got carried away training again, I swear fifty years together and that Gyarados hasn't changed," Oak said with an exasperated yet fond smile. "Tell you what; I'll go get those two while you and Bulbasaur talk."

"Thanks! Hopefully, the new kid will be here soon too," Ash finished in a mumble. The boy glanced at the sky and sighed, he thought he would have been well on his way by now. The trainer shook his thoughts away and set his new Pokemon down. "Bulbasaur, I want you to come with me!" The grass-type snorted with a look of confusion.

"What I mean is... I want to be the greatest master!" Ash blurted. _What am I doing, why am I so nervous about this?_ A dark green vine tapped his forehead gently snapping him out of his thoughts. The grass-type snorted and gave him another, slightly more forceful tap this time, and stared at him expectantly. Brown eyes blinked uncertainly before gripping the line lightly, and giving it a firm shake. Bulbasaur crooned, her pink eyes lighting up with her happiness. _She must have seen Gramps or Jimmy shake._ Her first breeder tended to stay to himself - from what Ash understood anyway - so she learned the gesture in less than three months. _Impressive_.

A faint vibration beneath his feet alerted the trainer and his new partner to Wave's approach. Bulbasaur grunted worriedly and moved to hide behind his legs." Why don't you go back in our ball for now, 'kay?" She warbled and shuffled when the vibrations grew more intense. The boy gave her a last pat before recalling her.

"H-hey I-is this Professor Oak's lab?" An exhausted boyish voice called from behind him.

"Yeah," Ash responded, turning to face the newcomer. The arrival was a heavily panting blond boy of about his age. He wore a blue vest with a green shirt beneath it and blue jeans with a single tear over its right knee. Ash felt his irritation return when he realized this was the new trainer he had been waiting for.

"You're late!" he snarled.

The boy winced, "I know, I'm really sorry! I know that I messed up, but please just let me talk to Professor Oak!" he begged with tears coming to his blue eyes. Ash blinked, suddenly unsure of what to make of the boy.

"It's okay! Gramps isn't mad enough to revoke your license," Ash said hurriedly waving his arms for emphasis. To his relief the boy's crying stopped. "So... what's your name, kid?" Ash asked quickly, he did not want to deal with anymore tears. The vibrations had increased in intensity, he noted idly. The boy had come at a very good time. Curiously, the blond boy didn't seem to have noticed them yet.

"Ritchie!" the blond said with a small smile.

"And I'm Ash! I'll be the one who makes sure you know what the hell you're doing!" Ritchie blinked at his blunt statement. "Some people who start out don't know the difference between Pidgey and Spearow," he added at the boy's confused look. "You might want to work on noticing things around you though," Ash said his tone casual.

"My surroundings," Ritchie repeated slowly. Ash nodded and pointed over his shoulder. The blond had decent reflexes, Ash noted with a nod and a pleased smile. The boy froze at the sight of the thirty-seven-foot long Gyarados winding toward them. Ritchie screamed, making Ash wince at the volume.

"It's okay!" Ash yelled when the boy ran out of air. He grabbed the trainer's shoulders and shook him when it looked like the boy would scream again. "That's just Wave!" he cried.

"Thank you for popping my ear," Oak quipped rubbing his right ear as he approached. Ash turned to face his grandfather and was thrown onto his back by an enthusiastic three-hundred-pound Swinub. The pig licked him sloppily covering his face with saliva. "You must be Ritchie Davis," the professor said with a chuckle.

"I am, sir," the blond affirmed, eyeing the gigantic Gyarados warily.

"You're rather late," Oak pointed out, ignoring his grandson's struggles with the boar. "You could lose your license for this young man!"

"I'm sorry," Ritchie, whispered hiding his eyes behind his hat.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," the old man said, his face stern and arms crossed over his chest. Ash winced, as he finally freed himself from the Swinub. He knew from experience that his grandfather's disappointment was worse than any of his mother's reprimands. "However, I can tell that you genuinely regret your mistake." Ritchie's head shot up so swiftly that Ash worried he'd hurt his neck. The boy's heart shone in his eyes and Ash found himself hoping the boy did well as a trainer. His grandfather reached into his coat's right pocket and procured a single generic Pokeball.

The ball opened to reveal a bipedal yellow mouse with red cheeks a tail like a bolt of lightning and black tips on its long ears. "A Pikachu," Ash said, walking closer to his grandfather slowly." You think giving a boy who's never had a Pokemon a Pikachu is a good idea?" he whispered incredulously.

"I ran out of starters," Oak admitted in a whisper. Wave rumbled, a sound similar to a wave crashing against a beach, from behind them amused. "At least it's not that demonic Pichu that attacked Pins a few years back!"

"How do you even run out of-," Ash's question was cut off by his Swinub bumping him in what he probably thought was a light manner. "Gore, this is serious! You can wait!" Gore grunted and butted him more insistently making the boy stumble. _It's only been two days_! The boy rolled his eyes, before rubbing his friend's shaggy head. The boar grunted happily and moved into his touch when he scratched behind his ears. He smiled, but a startled yelp brought his attention back to Ritchie's situation.

Ritchie was biting his lip as his grandfather wrapped a piece of his coat around the boy's hand. Pikachu was cowering under Wave's glower. Ash grabbed Gore by his tiny tusks when it seemed like he was going to charge the mouse. "Did it attack him?" he asked blinking incredulously.

"Yes, It would seem this Pikachu is a bit too wild for a proper starter," Oak said evenly checking Ritchie's makeshift bandage carefully.

"Probably," Ash muttered, glancing at the still cowering mouse. Usually it took a couple months for wild Pokemon to be tame enough for a new trainer to work with them. Given how vicious this Pikachu is, it might never be a starter.

"No!" Ritchie cried.

"No?" Oak questioned slowly turning to face the blond.

"It's my fault! Please let me keep him," the new trainer said seriously. Ash blinked, the other boy looked so resolute. "Please give me a chance, sir!" Pikachu was staring at the boy too shocked to be afraid, even Wave seemed curious.

"If I were to let you keep this Pokemon what guarantee is there that he won't just abandon, or even kill you?" the professor said his expression unreadable. Gore grunted finally having calmed from the mouse's attack. Ash released his closest friend carefully, to his relief it seemed as though the boar's temper had truly calmed. The raven-haired boy and his partner had seen the professor give away hundreds of starters, but they'd never seen him consider giving away one so defiant. _Gramps is brilliant when it comes to seeing a trainer's potential, maybe he sees something we can't._ Ash rubbed his friend's side soothingly.

"I'd don't know, I just think that we're meant to be together." Ritchie murmured peering into the stunned Pikachu's big black eyes.

"If I give you this Pokemon you'll not be getting a replacement," Oak declared his face a mask of stone.

"I understand the risks, sir," Ritchie said meeting the professor's eyes unwaveringly.

"Very well," the professor said, a slight smile making its way onto his face as he recalled Pikachu. Ash gave him a doubtful look. "He's not as bad as that other one you met a while back," Oak assured him. Wave rumbled from behind the old man and gave him a gentle nudge. "Ah, that's right, we're taking too long here," Oak chuckled sheepishly, "I know! To make up for this I'll drive you boys to the end of the corral."

"Thank you, sir!" Ritchie beamed.

"Thanks, fossil," Ash stated ducking under his grandfather's playful swat. Wave rumbled at Ash and Gore before making his way back to his bay. Gore squealed at the giant's retreating form, "Later, big guy! Take care of the town!" Ash called waving. His grandfather smiled, then went to bring his jeep around while Ritchie gawked at the legendary beast's back.

"Is that _the_ Wave?" he asked breathlessly.

"Uh, ye~ah," Ash drawled blinking at the blond. Had the other trainer only just realized who Wave was?

"He's amazing," Ritchie, whispered, still staring at the serpent's back. Ash smirked and Gore puffed his chest out proudly.

"You have no idea," Ash said, clapping a hand onto the new trainer's shoulder. The boy stared at Wave's now distant form. It was easy to forget how most people must have seen the Gyarados; after all, he'd known the great beast of the sea since birth. Ash smiled, patting Gore's hide the old water-type wasn't the only amazing Pokemon in Pallet. Gore grunted happily and nuzzled his hand. "So whaddya think of my Gore?"

"He's cool," the blond said quickly still staring in the direction of the Pallet Bay. Gore slumped, at being ignored, but Ash only sighed.

"Someday, people are going to look at you like that," he swore to his starter in a whisper. The Pokemon stood at his full height and puffed his chest out confidently. A low rumble from behind, Ash noted. "Gramps is almost here Ritchie." Ash said. Ritchie didn't reply still staring dumbstruck in the direction Wave had gone in.

"You boys ready to go!" Oak called over the roar of his jeep.

"Yeah," Ash called herding Ritchie and Gore to the rumbling vehicle. "I get a front seat," He added, smirking smugly when Gore whined pitifully. "You'll be in the back on your blanket," the trainer told the boar his smirk growing into a grin when the boar whined again.

"You didn't forget anything?" Oak asked as they seated themselves.

"No," Ash muttered, rolling his eyes. He snickered when Gore began nudging Ritchie with a hoof.

"What does he want?" the new trainer asked eyeing the boar with trepidation.

"Rub him of course," Ash said as though it should have been obvious. The black-haired boy rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "He could also be hungry, I suppose," he remarked relishing the blond's look of horror.

Xxxxxxx

"So why'd you really decide to drive us, old man?" Ash asked turning to face his grandfather. "You've gotten plenty of people late with your er- habits so why drive only us?"

"Am I that obvious?" Oak inquired with a sigh. The professor pouted when his grandson gave him a flat look. "About two years ago a Yanma was born in the corral-"

"How's that new?" Ash asked raising a brow.

"You'd learn if you didn't interrupt me, son," Oak said glaring at him petulantly.

"Continue," Ash allowed with a sigh and a wave of his arm. _The old man never can just get to the point._

"I will," the professor told them his tone smug. "Now a strong Pokemon being born in the corral isn't a big deal, as you know many Pokemon come to Pallet to build their nests. But… this Yanma is unlike any other I've ever heard of before! At least three feet long at only two-years old!" Oak cried dramatically. Ash glanced behind him and sighed, predictably Gore and Ritchie were being drawn into the story. "Its frightened Nidorina and even killed Raticate with ease, before reaching a year old," the gray-haired professor finished his gray eyes grave.

 _Now the bug is getting a bit frightening._ Ritchie gulped loudly and Gore was glaring out the window suspiciously. "I thought that it would have left with the other young Pokemon for sure, but for some reason the Pokemon has made the corral its home," Oak said after a moment. "Truthfully, I wouldn't have known it was still here if it hadn't attacked Gary."

"It attacked someone!" Ritchie squeaked with a look of horror.

"Is Gary okay?" Ash asked swallowing harshly.

"He's fine, Aria managed to fight it off," Oak confirmed quickly with a wince. Ash sighed in relief and turned when Gore grunted behind him. Ash smiled, the Swinub was trying to squeeze himself through the gap in the seats. The trainer patted his friend's nose gently.

"I'm okay bud," he said with a tired smile, "Just a bit shocked."

"Now you boys understand why I wanted to drive you," Oak muttered his eyes intent on the road, "That Pokemon is going to be a problem for sure."

"Thank you, sir," Ritchie uttered relief clear in his voice.

"Thanks," Ash murmured still patting his Swinub. He frowned when a thought occurred to him, "No trying to hunt it you hear," he told Gore sternly. The boar gave him an affronted huff, and moved back into his seat with what Ash had learned to be a pout. "If we get hurt on our first day Mom would kill us," the boy said seriously. The boar whined pitifully at the statement. "I'll eat all your food myself!" Gore squealed as though Ash were killing him and began nudging his seat urgently with a hoof.

"We're here!" Oak called happily.

"Here already?" Ash questioned, looking taking in his surroundings. His eyes widened at the sight, "Why are we at Viridian?"

"Because I'm a good grandpa who wants his grandchildren to be safe," Oak said, motioning for them to get out of the car.

"You said you were only taking us to the end of the corral!" Ash cried as his grandfather pushed him out of the jeep.

"I lied!" Oak announced his tone bright as he nudged Gore and Ritchie out as well. "If it makes you feel any better you can find plenty of fine Pokemon in the forest, and I'll be going back for Gary too, so he won't be getting any of the young ones either," Oak said easily waving his goodbye. "Have fun kids!" the professor said with a grin.

"I can't believe he lied to us," Ritchie muttered, staring at the jeep in disbelief.

"I can," Ash, sighed. "I was supposed to take you to Viridian and we're here," Ash quipped an awkward shrug.

"Thank you," Ritchie said, shuffling his feet awkwardly.

"Make sure you release Pikachu in the center, just in case," Ash advised while scratching Gore behind his right ear.

"You're not coming with me?" Ritchie asked his shoulders tensing.

"Of course not! You survived meeting Wave, Kanto can't touch you," Ash grinned, "Take care of yourself kid!" he called over his shoulder as he tugged Gore towards the woods.

"I-I will!" Ritchie yelled after him.

He had thought of a thousand ways the day could have gone, but he had never dreamed it would have gone this way, Ash reflected watching Ritchie take his first steps toward Viridian. Gore nudged him and grunted. "Right, it's time we set off," he decided, straightening his pack's strap." I think you'll be happy when you meet our new teammate buddy," the trainer said with a smile. Gore snorted, turning to him. "Not near the city, we'll make some ground, and then set up camp, and then you can meet her." Ash told his starter with a smirk. The Swinub squealed angrily and stomped his hooves, making his trainer's smirk grow into a full grin.

Xxxxxx

"You ready," Ash said priming Bulbasaur's ball. Gore snorted, shuffling in place and staring at the pokeball expectantly. "Okay," he said slowly releasing the grass-type in a scarlet light. Bulbasaur snorted when she saw him, and began to sniff the ground around her. The grass-type squeaked in horror when Gore rushed toward her, accidentally knocking her onto her side. Ash sighed; he had a long way to go with these two. "Gore, you're scaring her, stop it!" Ash commanded pulling the pig by his floppy ear.

Bulbasaur stood slowly, eyeing the Swinub like he was a deadly predator. _She's not entirely wrong._ Most solitary boars were predominantly meat eaters. "It's okay, Bulbasaur, nothing's going to hurt you," the trainer said his gentle smile at odds with the harsh grip he had on Gore's ear. He knelt next to Gore and began to pat him lightly. "If you don't calm down I'll shave you again," Ash whispered into the swine's ear ominously still smiling gently at Bulbasaur. Gore shuddered, and Ash motioned for Bulbasaur to come closer. The grass-type approached carefully at first but moved more confidently when Gore didn't make any aggressive movements.

Ash rubbed Bulbasaur's bulb as she and Gore sniffed one another, this time with a touch more restraint. Then Gore began licking the dinosaur enthusiastically. She hissed, but didn't seem to be afraid of the ice-ground-type. The trainer smiled at the sight, then blushed when his stomach rumbled. "So, I think it's time we find some food," he said, his blush deepened when Gore huffed amusedly. Bulbasaur warbled before taking off hurriedly with her nose glued to the ground _. Is she that hungry?_ "Bulbasaur wait up!" Ash cried scrambling after the grass-type. _I thought the Bulbasaur line was supposed to be slow!_

He burst through a small cluster of shrubs and narrowly avoided tripping on Bulbasaur. Ash stumbled and hit the ground hard the impact knocking his breath out of him. The boy groaned he needed to have a serious talk with his Bulbasaur. Gore squealed as he barreled through the shrubs avoiding Bulbasaur, but tripping over his downed trainer. For the second time in thirty seconds, the boy lost his breath. He opened his eyes when he heard a curious grunt near his feet. Bulbasaur was staring at him with her head tilted slightly to the right. The boy stood shakily Bulbasaur supporting him with gentle nudges when he faltered.

Ash glanced; Gore was circling a tree with pink berries. Ash blinked, pink oval shaped berries? "You were trying to get us food?" he asked Bulbasaur receiving a small snort in return. "Very good, girl Bulbasaur," his Pokemon cooed nudging his hands to her head. The trainer began rubbing small circles on her bulb she definitely liked this spot. The Pokemon had her eyes closed and was making a light purring sound. "I'm really happy that you found this, but please wait for me next time, okay?" Ash requested, lifting the grass-type's chin so he could look her into her pink eyes. "I'm not mad," he said hurriedly when the Pokemon looked at the ground, disheartened.

"I just want you safe," the trainer finished with a smile. He patted her gently, then stood, "Now would you mind getting some berries for Gore? He looks like he's about to knock the tree over," she snorted and sauntered toward the annoyed pig. The Bulbasaur line was a species he'd studied in his Pokedex, but it hadn't mentioned anything about finding their own food beyond grazing. Gramps was right, the only way to truly understand a Pokemon is to see them with your own eyes, Ash thought fondly. This helped solve some of his financial issues too; if Bulbasaur could find fruit, trees then he could afford more pokeballs. The vast majority of the money he'd earned had gone to medicinal potions and his boots. Ash shook his head, it didn't matter right now, he needed to go get some berries before his gluttonous best friend ate them all.

Ash sauntered back to camp with a content smile and a full stomach. There was no replacing his mother's cooking, but those Oran berries had been amazing. He had even stored enough for a decent breakfast for himself and Bulbasaur. She yawned, her pink eyes drooping and her legs seeming to shake with exertion. Ash lifted the tiny dinosaur onto his shoulder. She licked his cheek before settling against his shoulder. A growl drew his attention to his first Pokemon.

Gore was sniffing the air intently and jerked his head toward Viridian. "You think something's going on in the city?" Ash inferred, carefully pulling his small flashlight out. The Swinub growled, regarding every tree and shadow as though expecting potential predators to jump out from behind them. "When we get back to camp, I want you to mark the trees, and I'll make a fire," the trainer told his partner quietly rubbing Bulbasaur's side in soothing circles. There wasn't any need to wake the youngest of the group, not yet anyway. Ash swallowed, he had slept outside plenty of times, but he'd always done so under his grandfather's, or a member of the old man's team, watchful eyes.

Here, though, if a wild Pokemon attacked there was no guarantee they could fight it off. A small tusk tapped his thigh gently. Gore's chin rose confidently and nudged him toward camp. "Yeah, we just gotta keep going," Ash said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. The boy blinked, the small brown tent and stack of dry wood could only have been their camp. I almost missed it because I was afraid, the boy thought with disgust. Gore was already making his way to the trees surrounding the camp. The Swinub rubbed himself against the largest trees around them so roughly that he tore off their bark, then he sprayed the area near the tent with his Mud Slap. Ash nodded his approval; wild Pokemon had plenty of warnings now. The wild Pokemon should be able to guess Gore's age and size through the markings.

Few in this part of the forest would want to fight a five-year old three-hundred pound Swinub. At least, he hoped they wouldn't. It took a couple tries, but his "spark stone" (as he called it) ignited the dry material they had gathered. Ash sighed tiredly, offering Gore a quick Goodnight before crawling into his tent. The trainer smiled at the sight, Bulbasaur lay curled on his pillow peacefully a content look on her face. Guess I am going to be fighting her for the pillow, Ash thought amusedly as he made himself comfortable in his sleeping bag.

Xxxxxx

The past three days had been relatively boring; the only young Pokemon they had seen had been with their parents or were too quick to catch. To make things worse, he'd seen Nidoking footprints yesterday. Average adults were around six feet tall and weighed about two thousand pounds. They could kill Bulbasaur and himself with ease, and that was ignoring their earth manipulation and poison.

The decision to head toward Pewter had been an easy one. The boy patted Gore's side roughly receiving a pleased grunt from his friend. The weather was wonderful, not too hot for Gore and not too cold for Ash. He suspected the league scheduled the badge collecting this time of year for that exact reason. Most rookie trainers had a hard time during the spring he could only imagine it would be exponentially more difficult in winter. _Maybe that's why the Sinnoh League was regarded as the second most difficult?_ Perhaps Sinnoh would be his next challenge. _It doesn't matter right now._ He glanced at his watch; eleven was as good a time as any for lunch. "Buddy, I need you to find some water okay?" Gore squealed happily, he recognized the pattern by now and knew it was time to eat.

 _It's inspiring to watch a master at work._ The speed a Swinub could reach when properly motivated would have been difficult for the trainer to match. So, he didn't bother trying, the boar knew to call for his partner when he found his target and could look after himself well enough. A squeal alerted him to his friend's success and location. Ash jogged after the Pokemon, his partner's continued squeals allowing him to find the boar quickly.

Xxxxxx

Ash stretched languidly, savoring the pops in his joints. He patted his resting Bulbasaur's side gently with one hand and fishing another piece of jerky with another. The grass-type had only finished grazing and sunbathing moments ago, and her eyelids were already drooping. The pond was quiet, decent sized, and more importantly, there wasn't any dangerous Pokemon around. A loud splash broke the tranquility of the moment and made Bulbasaur jump from her nap. _Gore will always be Gore_. He sighed, something's just never changed. Thankfully, the boar knew better than to go into the deeper parts of the water. If anything, dangerous was in the water, it would be there.

Bulbasaur glared at the oblivious boar with her vines extended. It was by far the most aggressive look he had ever seen on the shy Pokemon's face. She poked him with a vine and stamped her foot impatiently. Ash blinked, it looked like she finally wanted to try sparring. _At least I hope that's what she wants._ "I'm so dumb!" he cried slapping his forehead. Bulbasaur squeaked staring at him wide eyed. "Nothing's wrong! I just have to scan you real quick," the boy said quickly smiling awkwardly.

He still needed to get used to a Pokemon as skittish as Bulbasaur it seemed. "Anyway... this is a Pokedex and it can help me make you stronger," Ash said, holding the small red device out for the dinosaur to sniff. "Nothing bad, you won't even feel it," the boy promised as she inspected the device. The Pokedex came to life with a low hum, to his relief Bulbasaur only flinched." Bulbasaur the seed Pokemon. "This Bulbasaur is female; she is one-year and two-months-old. She knows the moves Vine Whip, Tackle, and Leech Seed. She possesses the ability chlorophyll, which significantly boosts the Pokémon's speed in sunlight."

"Is that why you're so quick?" Ash mumbled to himself rubbing his chin. "Very good girl Bulbasaur! I told you it wouldn't hurt," the raven-haired trainer said with a smile. He rubbed the preening Pokemon's head gently.

A squeal of pain came from the pond. Bulbasaur flinched violently and Ash jumped at the volume. Gore was struggling mightily sending streams of snow and globs of mud at his unseen opponent.

"Buddy, get out of the water!" the boy called urgently. "It's a water type!" Gore grunted, dragging the water-type with his all strength.

His starter's opponent had two large red pincers and four thin white legs. A Krabby, he thought, and a large Krabby at that, the crab had his pincers clamped on the Swinub's tusks. "Powder Snow!" The pig thrashed then blasted the crab with the chilly wind in its eyes.

The Krabby flinched, the opening Gore needed to get under it. With a jerk of his head, the Swinub flipped the Krabby onto its back. "Powder snow on its claws!"

"Stay here," Ash told Bulbasaur quietly as he approached the trapped Pokemon. The boy procured a Pokeball from his pocket. He hesitated; this would be his first capture for his own team. If he messed up there was a chance the Krabby would never respect him. He grinned, as an idea came to him. "Gore, let Krabby, go!" Gore whined disbelievingly, regarding Ash as though he were insane. "I know what I'm doing," Ash said seriously with a shaky voice.

"Krabby, I challenge you to a battle! If you beat Gore, he's the chubby pig, I'll give you all of our Oran berries," Bulbasaur wailed as though he was killing her still Ash forged on, "But if we win, then you have to become a member of our team," the trainer stated, clenching his fists so tightly his knuckles were becoming white. This was a calculated risk; if the Krabby wanted to become a monarch then it wouldn't break its word. Pins, Wave, and Plains were very honor oriented, so he figured there was a good chance Kingler were as well. If it wasn't then it might just try and run off.

Krabby snapped its claws menacingly, and then it moved a few yards away from Gore. The crab stood at its full height and cloaked its face with bubbles. A tactic the rather average Krabby line used to look intimidating.

"Hoh, a feisty guy," Ash smirked.

Gore pawed the ground before blasting a snowy gust at the crab Pokemon. Krabby chirped a battle cry, then it rushed through the attack using its right pincer to shield its eyes.

"Use Mud Slap on the ground!" the boy yelled. The Swinub fired his mud a couple feet in front of the crab. Krabby stumbled only just catching itself with its claws when Gore his it with a Tackle, sending it soaring through the air.

"Now, Powder Snow!" Ash yelled with a triumphant grin. The Swinub did so with glee, freezing Krabby's right claw to the ground. Gore barreled into the crab again, sending it crashing into a tree trunk. "Yeah!" Ash yelled, pumping his fist. Bulbasaur ran out from her hiding place and leaped into his arms squeaking happily. He laughed, hugging the dinosaur tightly, receiving happy licks in return. Krabby was now an official part of the team! The boy smiled, this was one of the best days of his life. "Gore we caught our first pokemon-," Ash's voice faded as he saw his first friend's unmoving form.

"Gore," Ash called slowly setting Bulbasaur down. The boar remained motionless. "Buddy," the boy murmured as he approached the Swinub. He knelt next to his partner scratching behind his ear. To his delight, he received a quiet rumble from the boar. Heart rate is a bit quick for such a short fight, he noted. The trainer sighed; his partner had been sleeping more and eating more since they had left Pallet. He thought that Gore was just being Gore, but it was starting to seem as though the Swinub was becoming ill.

Or he figured out how to get into Ash's jerky and overate.

That was the more likely of the two options. It was a bit shocking how resourceful the simple boar could be when hungry. The boy shrugged recalling his friend and pocketing his Pokeball. Bulbasaur bumped him with her head lightly and crooned staring at Gore's ball.

"He's okay, just needs to take a break," Ash said patting her head with a forced smile. Viridian forest was beautiful and teeming with Pokemon, but Gore's health came first. They would have to stick to the trails. The trainer snapped up so quickly that Bulbasaur jumped in shock.

"Krabby, are you still there?" Ash asked, searching frantically for the small water-type. The water-type wouldn't have gone against its word, would it? The brown-eyed boy bit his lip. _How could I be so dumb? Of course, Krabby would leave it was a wild Pokemon._

A quiet gurgle came from behind him. Krabby was sitting next to Bulbasaur - who seemed perfectly calm in the crab's presence shockingly eyeing him as though he had lost all sense. "You were behind me the entire time, weren't you?" Ash said slowly his face flushed. The crab Pokemon made an odd clicking sound that reminded the boy of a flat tone. "S~o, I'll just capture you," he said awkwardly pulling out a generic red Pokeball. Krabby shuffled nervously, but didn't make any attempt to run when he drew the ball. The water-type was sucked into the ball in a scarlet light. Bulbasaur crooned happily at the ball, not the ball, Ash corrected rubbing his thumb along the capsule, at their new teammate.

Xxxxxx

Ash had never cared to watch the setting sun, no matter how often his mother would bother him about it. Looking at the orange sky and the gray clouds now, the boy regretted never taking her offers. "You did great today," Ash said, rubbing Bulbasaur gently and feeding her a large Oran berry. She purred happily and leaned into his touch as she ate her treat. The trainer hadn't expected her to be able to walk as long as she did. Even if she had needed to be carried a couple times when she'd tired. _Maybe catching Krabby got her blood boiling?_

"Hey, you there, wanna fight?" A girlish voice called from behind him.

"Sure," Ash answered before he even finished turning. The girl was about his age with black hair, violet eyes, and with the exception of her long pink scarf, dressed entirely in black, except.

"One on one," she said with a grin.

"Good for me," the boy responded priming Gore's Pokeball. "I'm Ash by the way," he added as an afterthought.

"I'm, Janine," the girl chirped priming her own ball. "Go!" Janine cried, tossing her Pokeball into the air.

"It's our first battle," Ash whispered releasing his first friend. The ice-ground-type snorted at his opponent with a glare. Janine's Pokemon was a circular Pokemon with purple fur, large red compound eyes, a pair of white antennas and stubby forearms. It was a Venonat, a poison-bug-type Pokemon with psychic abilities.

"Go get it," the black-haired commanded. Venonat chirped and charged Gore its body surrounded by a white glow. Gore met the bug's charge with his own Tackle attack, throwing the bug several yards back.

"Powder Snow," Ash called. Gore snorted, firing a chilling gust at the downed Pokemon.

"Now!" The dark-haired girl cried. The purple bug chirped weakly ducking under Gore's attack, and fired a thin pink stream at the Swinub. The attack slammed into the ice-type's forehead. Gore squealed backpedaling and shaking his head furiously. Ash winced, on top of the attack's strength; a direct psychic attack could give their opponent a headache.

"Gore calm down, you're fighting!" Ash snapped. The Swinub grunted and shook his head again before slowly turning to face his opponent.

"I give," Janine announced.

"What now?" Ash said confusedly tilting his head to the side. Gore squealed happily, running in a circle, his pain forgotten.

"This is her first fight," the girl said simply lifting the bug-type Pokemon and stroking her purple fur. "You did really great," She whispered. Janine dug into her pocket for a moment before handing him a dollar. "You definitely earned this; you're not bad at all for a rookie!" she chirped.

"Ok~ay thanks," Ash said slowly taking a moment to admire his winnings. The silver paper had a detailed picture of a black dragon with blue eyes and blue fire surrounding its maw, the Dragon King, he realized. "See ya around, I guess," Ash said his tone awkward before turning back to the girl. The boy blinked, she was gone. "That was… very different," he said, rubbing the back of his head. Gore grunted in agreement sauntering to him.

"Time for dinner then," Ash said after a moment. Gore grunted happily and licked his hand. "I'm the best trainer as long as you're well fed," the raven-haired boy remarked rolling his brown eyes. The Swinub squealed indignantly and nudged him lightly. Ash ignored the boar and released his newly captured Krabby. The crab Pokemon gurgled awkwardly at his new companions. It will be another couple of days before that changes. Krabby was willing to fight for Oran berries so that would have to do until he found something better for the crab. Gore would just get more of his jerky and a few berries.

"Bulbasaur are you hungry?" Ash asked, turning to face the green dinosaur. The grass-poison-type Pokemon was resting against the large oak next to his tent with her eyes closed and a look of deep content. He smiled softly; she had more than earned turning in a bit early." Guys, we have to be quiet," the trainer murmured staring at Gore intently. The Swinub glared at him, but remained quiet. Ash tossed the boar a few pieces of jerky that were inhaled mere seconds after hitting the ground.

"Here you go, buddy," Ash said, placing the Oran berries on the ground slowly. Krabby eyed his approaching hand carefully, but allowed Ash to rub its red shell tentatively. The boy pulled his Pokedex out slowly letting the crab Pokemon examine it for a moment. _"Krabby the Pincer Pokemon. This Krabby is male and is four-years and ten-months-old. He knows the moves Bubble, Vice Grip, and Harden. This Pokemon has no abilities."_ Ash was slightly disappointed his new Pokemon didn't have any hidden talents, but he was of good size for his age and seemed honorable enough. The crab's personality wouldn't be a hard one to work with either, judging by his allowing Ash to pet him so soon. He already knew most of Gore's abilities, but it couldn't hurt to check.

 _"Swinub the Pig Pokemon. This Swinub is male, and is five-years-old. He knows the moves Tackle, Powder Snow, Mud Slap, and the egg move Avalanche. This Pokemon has no abilities."_ The boy didn't fully understand egg moves, but he did know that it was a technique passed down from a Pokemon's parent. He also knew that the parent had to have great mastery of the move for it to be passed on to its offspring. "Guess your birth parents must've been pretty awesome, bud," Ash said powering down his Pokedex. To his knowledge, Avalanche was one of the best offensive moves an ice-type could learn.

Gore grunted noncommittally far more interested in the large mushroom Krabby had acquired. The boy blinked. _When did he find?_ The crab hissed and cloaked himself with bubbles waving his claws threateningly at the boar. Gore growled, his body temperature dropping low enough that Ash felt a light chill. "Stop it!" the trainer shouted digging for the jerky again." If you're hungry, eat this don't try and steal from Krabby," he lectured quietly, "Just come to me, you understand! I don't want to see that again!" Ash snapped as quietly as he could. The boar whined quietly and nuzzled his hand, seeking forgiveness.

Ash offered his friend the food he seemed to be so desperate for slowly. The boy rubbed his Swinub's large head and sighed. Gore's kind were alive long before humans, in a time where the world was ruled through tooth and claw. The ancient Pokemon's blood flowed strongly in the now purring boar, the thirteen-year-old knew. Ash had never truly thought about the potential difficulties of training such a Pokemon, and now he had three of them. At least Krabby and Bulbasaur wouldn't eat his jerky. The boy rubbed his temples, he could see why that draconic-Pokemon-obsessed-idiot was so well respected this was already stressful.

Krabby kept glancing at him when he thought the trainer wasn't looking. The water-type's looks varied from disbelief to a deep respect. Mother crabs typically didn't raise their children, as far as Ash knew anyway, this could be the first time someone had stood up for him in his nearly five years. Ash had always been surrounded by his family, the idea of not having their love and support was unfathomable. _Regardless of what happened before this, you won't be alone again._

Xxxxxxxxx

Viridian forest was rather disappointing. Aside from the Nido and Pidgey lines, he had failed to find any interesting Pokemon. Unfortunately, both of those species tended to live in large groups. Large groups protected by Pokemon who would think of his team as little more than a light warm up on an off day. _At least Bulbasaur is ready to try fighting, that's some progress._

Gore grunted quietly, stiffening and glaring at a small tree in front of them. Ash blinked, why was there a tree in the middle of the trail? "Bulbasaur, you want to fight this time?" She shuffled nervously and moved behind. "You don't have to if you don't want to," the trainer said with a strained smile. He thought she would have been ready by now. The boy rubbed Krabby's ball, is it too soon, he wondered. A dark green vine wrapped itself around his wrist firmly. Bulbasaur moved in front of him and squared herself. He grinned; she was clearly nervous but was still willing to try fighting, a fantastic sign in such a young Pokemon.

Gore wasn't glaring at the tree, the boy realized as a small brown paw popped out of the ground. Another paw, then long brown ears and a fox like head. The Pokemon was a young Eevee. Eevee could evolve into eight different Pokemon, each powerful in their own right. They were some of the most sought after Pokemon anywhere. Ash swallowed harshly, this wasn't an opportunity he could waste, he thought glancing at Bulbasaur. If he used her there was a good chance the Eevee could get away, but if, he did not use her then he risked her fragile confidence shattering. He sighed; even an Eevee wasn't worth that price. Eevee growled at them the thick fur on its neck rising.

The boy suppressed his snickers with great difficulty. He knew from experience that the Eevee line could be very proud; insulting it could be a costly mistake. Unfortunately, Gore had forgotten that lesson. The Swinub grunted and turned his back to the fox, a blatant disregard of the little Pokemon. Eevee snarled, this time there was nothing cute about it, and charged Gore a faint white light surrounding it.

Dark green vines slapped the distracted fox knocking it onto its side. The Pokemon whimpered a small reddish patch growing on its side. Ash winced those vines could tear into the armor of a rock type with decent training; an Eevee's hide was trivial in comparison. Bulbasaur stared at her vines in shock finally recognizing her strength.

"Vine Whip, then Leech Seed!" Ash called with an eager grin. Bulbasaur warbled as she pinned the flailing fox with her vines and shot a small seed from her bulb. Bulbasaur's eyes narrowed and her bulb began to glow. Small cracks appeared on the seed. Tiny vines emerged from the cracks and wrapped themselves around the normal-type's head. Eevee whimpered as its energy was stolen.

"You did it!" Ash cried happily, running to Bulbasaur with his arms spread wide. He knelt next to the exhausted Pokemon and rubbed her bulb gently. "I knew you had it in you girl!" Took over a week to get her to fight but well worth it for sure! She cooed happily doing her best to nuzzle him. Three-hundred pounds of Swinub squealed happily and knocked him onto Bulbasaur.

Ash scrambled to get off the whimpering dinosaur. "Are you okay, girl?" He asked examining her bulb. He sighed; it looked like he hadn't fallen on her bulb. A quiet snort drew his attention to the boar behind him. He turned to his friend slowly with a small smile. "No jerky." Ash said simply his smile widening. The look of utter horror on Gore's face was reminiscent of Ritchie's reaction to Wave. It was the most beautiful sight to have greeted his eyes since their adventure began.

"Until Pewter," the trainer continued. The pitiful whine the boar released was music to his ears, and apparently, Bulbasaur's as well, judging by the dark look that she sent Gore. He sent a cursory glance over at Eevee, and then froze. "Gone," Ash whispered searching the clearing desperately. _Of course, it used Dig to escape!_ The boy spun quickly a hopeful look on his face. He was greeted by a still sulking Gore and a confused Bulbasaur.

"We don't speak of this," Ash told the green dinosaur seriously, as he lifted her onto his shoulder. "That includes with family," the boy continued giving Gore a sharp look. If the boar told Coco, the ancient Exeggutor might tell his family about this incident. The last thing he wanted was Gary having more reasons to make fun of him. There were already plenty of those. "If you sense anything under let me know," he told Gore when Bulbasaur was secure on his shoulder. Gore grunted his understanding and lowered his nose to the earth.

Xxxxxxxx

 _We must be getting close to Pewter._ He and Gore had battled three trainers in the past four days and witnessed another battle as well. _The trainer had never missed a shower as badly as he did now, and Bulbasaur is becoming exhausted by the constant walking._ He rubbed the sleeping dinosaur behind her ears. Gore was acting a bit odd as well; the boar tired after long walks but that didn't explain why was so tired in battle. The boar's love of a fight pushed him well beyond what should have been his limit. Their winning streak was unbroken, but the close calls they had had shouldn't have happened at all. Ash sighed, Nurse Joy would know, and if she didn't his grandfather or Daisy would have an idea.

"Halt!" A slightly deep voice called from his left. The voice was young and seemed to be trying too hard to seem intimidating. The boy and his Swinub kept walking; Bulbasaur didn't even wake from her nap. Ash glanced at Gore curiously, was the boar following his lead or just being contrary because he could be? The trainer smirked definitely the latter. "I said halt!"

"I know but you didn't say please," Ash retorted cheekily turning to face the other trainer. His challenger was a few years older than he was; the young man wore an archaic suit of armor with a helmet that was probably meant to resemble a Pinsir's pincer. He held a large net in his right hand and a worn generic pokeball in the other. A bug catcher then, Ash tried not to let that have a negative effect on his opinion of his opponent. Many bug catchers adored their Pokemon, but there were many who raised bug-types because they evolved quickly. Understandable, he admitted, but he couldn't imagine training a Pokemon he didn't like just to get strong quickly.

"Do you hail of Pallet?" the man asked in a condescending tone.

"Yeah," Ash said a sinking feeling in his stomach. Gary must have done something, or the odd man figured out his relationship with his grandfather. Neither option boded well for him.

"I, Samurai, challenge you to a test of strength, ruffian! Two on two," his opponent declared, throwing his net behind him in a way that likely was meant to be cool. Judging by the satisfied expression on the older male's face, he thought that it was.

"Sure, but could you keep it down, she's not even two yet," Ash told him pointing to Bulbasaur. A strong Venusaur lived for at least two-hundred years, at less than two Bulbasaur would be considered a toddler at best and a baby at worst. His opponent ignored him and released a Ledian. Ledian were bipedal bug-type Pokemon with four arms a white belly and red scales covering their back. They were speed-oriented fighters, which meant his best option was unfortunately, sleeping. Gore glared at the bug-type and huffed exhaling a frosty breath that made Ash and Bulbasaur shiver and even covered the surrounding grass in frost. Ash blinked, he didn't remember his partner's breath being so cold a couple days ago.

"You need a break, bud," he told the swine returning him to his ball before he could protest. He drew his new capture's ball. "Now's as good a time as ever," the trainer told the crab quietly receiving a wiggle from the ball. Krabby gurgled at him before turning to face his opponent. Ledian looked down at its opponent arrogantly its wings spread wide and puffed its chest out, an obvious attempt at intimidation. Krabby chirped angrily and clicked his claws threateningly at his larger opponent." Don't let 'im get to you!"

"I'll go first! Use Mach Punch, my friend, then finish it with another," Samurai ordered with a flippant wave of his hand. Ash's eyes narrowed. _He thinks he can win in two hits?_ Ledian chirped, a deep white coating its wings and a far less intense glow coating its fist.

"Vice Grip," the brown-eyed boy commanded. "Don't pinch anything vital," he added as an afterthought when a white glow covered Krabby's right claw. Ledian surged forward, moving so quickly that Krabby could barely shield himself with his right claw.

"No way," Samurai muttered gaping.

Ash grinned; Krabby's claws were wrapped firmly around the bug-type's wrists. "Let it go and use Bubble!" the boy told his water-type.

"Use Mach pun-," Krabby shoved Ledian, and then he blasted it with more bubbles than Ash could count. The boy winced when the defeated bug hit the ground face first. Bubble seemed like a relatively harmless attack to many people, but a great water-type could kill a man with it. _And it looks like I'm going to have one._ He smirked.

"Don't look so smug, brat! I'll sweep you with this!" Samurai snarled throwing a worn Pokeball. The Pokemon was a dull brown with large gray pincers on its head; it was a few inches shorter than Ash but easily twice the boy's width. The young trainer gaped and Krabby's eyes nearly popped out of his skull, a Pinsir! One of the strongest bug-types found in Kanto. This specimen was on the smaller side though, and the specie's claim to fame was their monstrous physical capacity. "Pinsir take the runt's first attack head on!" Samurai ordered smugly, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Just try it!" Ash snarled, priming Gore's ball. The boy flinched, at the furious chirp from his Pokemon. The water-type charged the giant beetle his claws waving threateningly and taking on a white hue. "Krabby come back!" The crab ignored his frantic calls and raked his claw against the beetle's unguarded belly. Samurai laughed, Pinsir rubbed its stomach. Krabby's strongest attack only gave it a small scrape. Pinsir smashed its pincers together and shot the comparatively tiny Pokemon a look of deep disappointment. Pinsir lifted the crab Pokemon over its head with one arm and tossed him into a tree without any visible effort. Ash was frozen his commands glued to his tongue.

Krabby struggled and failed to push himself up, but still waved his right claw weakly. Bulbasaur wiggled out of his arms-when had she woken- and ran to her downed teammate. She snorted lowering her head beneath him and trying to lift him with her head. "So you want to use her too?" the older boy asked coldly. "Fine then."

"I give up!" Ash said quickly running to his injured Pokemon and positioning himself in front of him. None of his Pokemon, could possibly match that Pinsir, in fact, they could be killed by accident. "Here, take your prize," the boy said quietly offering the bill Janine had given him earlier. He couldn't even bring himself to look the other trainer in the eye. If he could, even he call himself a trainer anymore…

Samurai snatched it with a derisive snort. "You should release your Pokemon," the older boy remarked after a moment. Ash swallowed harshly pulling Bulbasaur close to his chest. "They could do better," Samurai added, giving Bulbasaur and Krabby appraising looks and Ash a condescending one. The boy squeezed the dinosaur to his chest tightly and Samurai rolled his eyes.

"Pewter is twenty minutes from here if you run; your crab will die if you don't," he added nonchalantly strolling away as though he were discussing the weather. Ash flinched, at the blunt remark and returned Krabby. Pokeballs were designed to put a Pokemon into a state of rest and slow the effects of their wounds, hopefully that would buy him time.

"Can you keep up?" he asked Bulbasaur as he straightened his pack's straps. She crooned nudging him with her head gently, pink eyes sympathetic. "Let's go then."

Xxxxxx

"Can you take care of my t-team please?" Ash panted setting his pokeballs on the Pokemon center's main desk.

"What happened?" the redheaded woman asked worriedly taking in his sweat-drenched form.

"I'll tell you later! Just please look at Krabby!" Ash retorted irritably a hand over his chest. "It's an emergency!" With his last word the nurse's entire demeanor shifted, she nodded quickly scooping his pokeballs and rushing through the door behind her. Ash sank to the floor relief coloring his face. Nurse Joy would know what to do she had to. The boy's eyes drooped, his adrenaline fading. Just shutting his eyes for a bit would be fine…

Xxxxxx

Ash opened his eyes blearily a large, warm, and soft body pressed tightly against him. The boy rubbed his best friend's back lightly while stretching. "Krabby!" Ash cried, sitting up so quickly his head swam. A large hand settled on his shoulder and gently pushed him back onto his pillow.

"Not too fast, son," the deep, gentle voice that could only belong to his grandfather suggested.

"Is he okay?" Ash asked, ignoring the professor's words.

"Your Pokemon will be completely fine," Oak said with a sigh. The gray-haired man said, rubbing his temple with a finger. The old man's eyes were drooping and had large bags beneath him. _Are they because of me?_ He averted his eyes from Oak's.

"I want to see him! And where's Bulbasaur?" Ash asked frantically shrugging the man's hand off.

"She's right next to you," Oak deadpanned. The boy looked to his right and sure enough, the grass-poison-type was sleeping with a troubled look on her face. _Was she that worried about me and Krabby?_ The boy he rubbed the sleeping Pokemon's bulb. "They both put up quite a fuss when they woke. Poor Jane had to confine them to their balls to keep them from you," the gray-haired man said with a small smile.

"Can I see Krabby?" Ash asked with a small smile rubbing Bulbasaur's head.

"Of course!"

Xxxxx

His Pokemon could have been killed. A fact he thought he understood, but seeing Krabby attached to so many machines truly drilled the lesson home for the boy. Ash wrapped his hand around the crab's right, and only claw, squeezing it gently. "Don't worry Mr. Ketchum they regroup quickly, your Krabby will be up and battling in two days," Jane said offering the boy a small smile.

"Thank you so much," Ash said quietly his gaze still intent on his wounded Pokemon. This couldn't happen again. He wouldn't allow it, his team would train as soon as they were able, and he would too.

"She's one of the best in Kanto, in fact, this is where I come for Wave's checkups," Oak stated with a reassuring smile. The nurse blushed then muttered something about a sick Miltank and rushed through the door. "Also gets flustered easy," the professor added with a conspiratorial grin. Ash chuckled, he'd missed his grandfather.

"Ash, I can stay-," the professor began.

"No!" the boy interrupted narrowing his eyes. "You've been waiting for months to see Silph! You need to go!" Ash stated. Oak was taken aback by the ferocity in his tone. The old man blinked, and then he threw his head back and laughed. His laughter grew and grew until the professor had to support himself with the wall. "What's so funny?" he snarled.

"Nothing, nothing at all," Oak said wiping his eyes. "Make sure you call me if you have any issues," he said ruffling his grandson's hair. Ash smacked the man's hand away on reflex rolling his eyes.

"Just go!" Ash grumbled with a small smile turning back to his injured partner.

"Make sure you call Daisy!" the gray-haired man said walking away. "Oh and Ash," the boy turned to the professor with a raised brow, "I'm proud of you, you're handling this much better than I could have anticipated!" Oak told him with a warm smile.

"Just go!" the boy growled, turning away to hide his blush. Ash ignored his grandfather's laughs with ease that he had perfected over his thirteen years.

After a couple hours, Ms. Jane insisted he leave to go get fresh air. Privately, Ash thought she just wanted to be rid of the Swinub that never seemed to have enough to eat. It was hard to blame her considering Gore tried eating a chair. The nurse recommended they go see a pokemon friendly museum with fossils provided by the gym leader of Cinnabar himself. He rubbed Bulbasaur's back in small circles when she tensed, wrapping her front legs around his neck. Being around so many people would be something she would have to get accustomed with. Thankfully, she would not be evolving for at least a year, which meant he could keep carrying her until she was more comfortable. _If she ever is_ , he thought as she burrowed her face into his neck.

Gore was glaring at every passerby suspiciously. _Him being social is probably a lost cause._ The trainer snorted.

Like most buildings in Pewter, the museum wasn't very visually impressive. The people of Pewter were very similar to their favorite Pokemon, hardy and down to earth. The few things in the city that were eye catching were the statues. Ash was certain the Onix King and the Moon Goddess would have been honored by the tributes. "Don't do anything dumb, or you're going back in your ball," He told his pokemon.

"It'll be ten dollars, sir," the old woman told him with a warm smile.

"Here you go, mam," Ash responded in what he hoped was a respectful tone as he offered her the money. For some reason, he always felt as though his mother was standing over his shoulder in situations like this. He shuddered at the thought of being caught mistreating an elderly woman. The trainer shook his head banishing the thought.

"Wait a moment! You need these!" the woman called after him. She held two long brown leashes in her hands and looked at him expectantly. Ash stared at the woman blankly for a moment then took the leashes. Bulbasaur let herself be leashed without issue but she seemed hurt by the gesture. Ash grimaced; she would be getting a treat tonight. He turned to Gore and received a snarl from his oldest friend. The trainer knelt slowly, "I'll tie it around your leg." The boar glared at him but relaxed marginally and allowed himself to be leashed.

They were definitely getting the best dinner he could find.

Xxxxxxx

The skeleton of a massive dragon with small wings and a small horn stood tall in the center of the room. Per the plaque, an ancient Dragonite was believed to have been among the first Pokemon tamed by men. Like most his age Ash was never particularly enthusiastic about the history of humanity. This on the other hand, he thought, staring at a replica of an Aerodactyl battling a Venasaur, I could learn about every day. Bulbasaur snorted and wiggled out of his grip, she rushed to the display with speed he wouldn't have ever guessed a Bulbasaur could possess a few weeks ago. The little cow sat on her haunches staring at the Venasaur with wonder. "I know you get excited, but you have to stay with me!" the trainer told her sternly as he and his Swinub sauntered to the saurian. She warbled, in what he had learned to be an apologetic tone.

"It's no biggie! Just try and be careful," the raven-haired boy remarked, grabbing the handle of the museum's leash. Ash could more than understand her enthusiasm, though, if it were about Dreyfus and Silver, he would have probably knocked the exhibit over in his eagerness _. Does that mean my toddler Pokemon is more mature than me?_ He shook his head vigorously, that line of thought could never end well for him.

A gentle nudge from a tiny tusk directed him away from the exhibit. Gore was glancing at the Aerodactyl as if he expected it to come back to life and attack them at any moment. Ash nodded, and nudged his grass-type toward the herbivore's section. Bulbasaur kept glancing back at the Venusaur even as she was led away. Bulbasaur were incredibly rare, Ivysaur were even more so, and many believed there weren't any wild Venusaur left. It was likely this was her first time seeing one of the grass titans, or even something comparable to them. He knew he had been very lucky to get Bulbasaur, but seeing the Venasaur truly brought it home. They were among the greatest grass-types in the world. Ash glanced at the tiny cow next to him. _And you'll be the best of them someday._

The herbivore section was still being remodeled unfortunately, so they had to skip it. Neither of his Pokemon were thrilled with that revelation, but a trip to the ice age section was enough to keep them content, though Bulbasaur kept throwing the poor workers dirty looks. The trainer considered telling her it wasn't their fault, but he was just as disappointed, and watching them squirm under her glares was hilarious. Ash blinked, his mother was right, he did have a messed up sense of humor. A squeal of excitement and his arm was nearly pulled out of its socket with the force of Gore's charge. "Buddy, what the-", the boy cried, picking up Bulbasaur as he chased after his friend.

"What's with you?" he asked with a scowl. To his shock, the boar completely ignored him transfixed by the display before him. Ash blinked, it had been a very long time since he had been completely ignored by his best friend, six months if he remembered correctly, what was so important. He glanced at Bulbasaur, but even she seemed to have been locked in place. The boy followed their eyes beyond the impressive Cloyster and Kingdra exhibits to the very back of the section. There stood a skeleton of a titan. Its tusks must have been at least three feet long, its shoulder likely stood at about eight feet. Enormous legs supported a frame that could have held more weight than a Rhyperior's were it alive.

"Amazing, isn't he?" A raspy voice said quietly from behind him. The boy and his team jumped barely avoiding crashing into one another. "Not the brightest are ya, kid?" The old man continued with a harsh snort. The man wore a white fedora, thick sunglasses, he had a thick white mustache, and a long cane in his right hand.

"Who are you?" Ash demanded, not appreciating the man's mocking grin in the least.

"It's Blaine, runt, and it's common courtesy to introduce yourself first!" the old man responded his grin widening. Gore growled at Blaine stomping a foot and pushing his head up slightly so the man could see his tusks. Ash grabbed his friend's ear lightly; the boar was very much a herd-oriented creature. An insult to one of them could be enough to provoke a charge, the brown-eyed boy knew.

"It's common courtesy not to insult strangers, old man," the trainer quipped, "And it's Ash."

"Fine, Ash," Blaine said his grin becoming a small smirk. Ash rolled his eyes, could the old man say anything without an acerbic undertone. He turned back to the giant and directed Gore to do the same. "You might be a brat but you've got good eyes. That there is the only one of its kind we've found fully intact, doesn't even have a name."

"Why not?"

"Nothing ever felt right," Blaine said, tugging on his mustache. For the first time the old man was frowning, and had a look of deep frustration on his face. Ash frowned, no name even after a complete skeleton? He glanced at Gore and then back at the titan, their tusks were in separate leagues in size, but the curve of the Pokemon's tusks were similar to that of a Piloswine's. Maybe it was an ancestor. It was hard to imagine a Piloswine reaching such size, but it wasn't impossible to believe.

"What about Mamoswine?" Ash asked turning to face his elder. Mamoswine, a perfect name for what must have been the strongest swine the world had ever known. However, it did look a lot like an elephant too. The trainer shook the thought away quickly, definitely a pig. Gore squealed and licked his hand, it seemed his Swinub approved.

"Mamoswine," the old man muttered as though testing the way the name rolled off his tongue." I like it," he said a moment later his grin returning. "A fitting name for the greatest of their kind," the man turned quickly, making his way toward the front desk. "Time's up, brat! And thanks!" Blaine called over his shoulder. Ash stared after him. _What an odd old man._

Xxxxxxx

To their great disappointment, they weren't allowed to sleep with Krabby. Probably for the best, he thought booting up a purple video phone; he might have forgotten to call his sister. Daisy answered almost immediately black bags under her big gray eyes and her lips pulled into a frown. "Where have you been?" She demanded so fiercely that he and his partners jumped. Bulbasaur hid herself under his shirt, shaking and Gore was hiding as much of himself as he could beneath his chair. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," she said fidgeting.

"It's alright… I should've called anyway," Ash mumbled coaxing Gore out from under his chair and trying to pull Bulbasaur out from under his shirt. For a five-pound Pokemon she was surprisingly strong, he could not pull her off. "So...I just wanted to let you know that I'm okay and that Krabby is going to be fine."

"I'm very glad to hear it!" Daisy said with a yawn. "Krabby are great Pokemon, a bit timid, but if you work with it, I'm sure you'll have a great Kingler."

"Timid, huh," Ash muttered remembering the crab trying to fight an adult Pinsir by himself

"I take it yours isn't, then," his sister said with a small smirk. "How big is it?"

"I don't know how much he weighs but he's about as tall as Gore is," the boy said slowly. He glanced at his boar, about two and half feet sounded right.

"He's a bit aggressive, right? And really proud?" Daisy continued, twirling a long lock of her brown hair around a finger.

"How?" the boy asked, leaning back in his chair.

"It's a great sign Ash! Only exceptionally driven Krabby act like that," she asserted with a smile. "And he's pretty big too! You found a real gem!"

"I guess so," he blinked. And you nearly lost him; a part of him couldn't help but think. Ash stood quickly, nearly dislodging Bulbasaur in the process. "I need to get some sleep!" he said with a fake yawn. "I'll call tomorrow," he added with what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

"I love you, if you ever want to talk to me, you can," Daisy told him her smile fading.

"I love you too," the trainer said quietly shutting the video phone down. "Let's go to bed guys," Ash said in the same tone.

Xxxxx

"I'm really glad you're well," Ash told his Pokemon rubbing his hard shell. Krabby gurgled happily pinching his thumb lightly. The trainer smiled, for some reason his water-type had been more affectionate after his brutal defeat. Ms. Jane believed the crab Pokemon had been conscious during the run to the center. His brow furrowed glancing between his partners the boy made a decision. "Guys, I need to tell you something really important," he said seriously.

Ash inhaled deeply, "I want to challenge the Eight!" he blurted. Bulbasaur tilted her head to the side, and neither of the boys seemed to understand him either. _Of course, they don't know._ "The Big Eight are the strongest gyms in the entire region, they've all produced at least one champion - king - at least one king," the raven-haired trainer lectured seriously. He glanced between them, they all seemed interested. "The leaders of the Big Eight are in charge of the most important cities, and are regarded as the strongest trainers and incredibly hard to beat in your rookie season."

Gore squealed stomping his hooves; his friend's opinion couldn't have been clearer if he could talk. Bulbasaur looked nervous, but she didn't seem as afraid as he'd feared. Krabby clicked as loudly as he could with a single claw. They were going for it then; maybe Bulbasaur would come around to the idea in the coming months. If she didn't then that would be fine as well. By the time they were anywhere near ready to take one of the Eight on, they would have another team member for sure. The thirteen-year-old bit his lip, could he make it to the conference?

No, he shook his head lightly; the conference doesn't matter right now. There would be other conferences, and they needed to get stronger as quickly as they could. Challenging the Big Eight would be the best way to do that. Ash clenched his fists, what happened to Krabby wasn't Samurai's fault, or Pinsir's, it was his. He wouldn't fail his team again.

Xxxxxx

Before they could learn any moves, they had to perfect what they already knew. In order to use those moves properly, they had to become stronger. Krabby and Bulbasaur were practicing their Vice Grip and Vine Whip on the large boulders of the training ground. It took over two hours for them to find an unused training ground, but it was well worth it, in Ash's mind. Bulbasaur would be learning how to use her Sleep Powder and Poison Powder, if anyone were hit with it they would have to flee the city. Ash didn't have nearly enough money to afford a lawyer. "Keep going you're doing great!" Bulbasaur squeaked tiredly sweat cascading down her face. Krabby acknowledged him with a quick click then went back to his training.

The trainer couldn't have been happier with their work ethic. There wasn't any complaining, any foot dragging, they wanted to get stronger and trusted him to guide them properly. Something warm settled in his chest at the thought. From the moment he knew what a trainer was he knew it was his purpose, seeing his team pushing themselves was nearly enough to make him burst.

 _The only problem, is what to do with Gore._ In the two days they had been waiting for Krabby to recover, Ms. Jane explained why Gore was acting so strangely. He was entering puberty. He would be moody, gluttonous, and aggressive the woman told him sympathy shining in her blue eyes.

Unfortunately, Gore was already a moody, gluttonous, and aggressive boar, which meant Ash, had even more of a challenge than most trainers did with their maturing Pokemon. The first couple of months would be incredibly taxing on the boar physically and mentally, he would tire quickly at times and become frustrated easily. The biggest improvement would be the rapid growth of his ice attacks and size. Gore would gain at least a hundred pounds in the period that Ash was calling his "rebellious phase" and his body would be ready for evolution.

Ash did the math in his head, and realized it would be at least another month until he was ready to evolve. Sadly, there wouldn't be a significant improvement on his partner's intellect, as the boy had been hoping. _For now, let's just focus on perfecting ground attacks and stamina._ Ash grinned; Daisy recommended a very fun method of improving his stamina. The swine whimpered, he recognized his brother's expression and knew what it meant for him.

Gore collapsed inhaling air in greedy gulps with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. Daisy was right, Ash reflected, riding on the boar's back would be great training for the ice-type. It was just as fun as she said it would be too. Not for Gore, but after trying to eat another chair Ash wasn't feeling particularly sympathetic. "How are you guys feeling?"

Krabby chirped quietly raising his right claw slowly in weak a salute. Poor Bulbasaur could barely squeak her eyes drooping. Ash lifted her gently, "Time for dinner," Gore sprung up immediately running to the center as fast he could, much to Krabby's shock. "Don't try and make sense of it," the trainer advised his Pokemon rolling his eyes. "Let's go make sure he doesn't get in trouble." The crab clicked his understanding still staring in the direction of the center with mild awe.

* * *

"You want to fight?" Ash asked with a smirk. This would be their last challenge in Pewter, until they came back for the Boulder badge anyway, and he was confident he could win. _We need to win. Erika's waiting._ "Three on three."

"It'll be a slaughter," the tanned boy with beady eyes said with a cocky smirk. His opponent's smirk grew when he released his Pokemon. The Pokemon was bipedal and had a thick gray boulder like body with four arms. A Graveler and judging by its size it was newly evolved. Bulbasaur's eyes widened when she realized her opponent's bulk. She shuffled nervously, then turned to him worry etched on her face. "Forrest."

"You can do this, girl," the trainer asserted with a smile rubbing her head gently. "Have faith in your training." She warbled quietly turning back to her opponent with a tiny amount of confidence. "I'm Ash."

"Smack Down!" Forrest commanded. Graveler hissed, slamming its hands on the ground and forcing a rock about Bulbasaur's size to levitate in front of it. The Pokemon flung a thick arm out blasting the rock at Bulbasaur with astonishing speed.

The cow gave a horrified squeak barely managing to push herself out of the rock's path. "Keep moving!" Ash ordered. She can't afford to take a direct hit from this Pokemon, the boy thought, Poison Powder wouldn't be enough to put it down and Sleep Powder wasn't nearly ready for battle. The highly precise and energy draining attacks grass-types specialized in allowed them to find the weaknesses in or even bypass a rock-type's stone armor. They would have to rely on that.

Bulbasaur rushed toward Graveler diving behind the small trees surrounding them when the rock-type launched more rocks at her. Graveler snarled, throwing a boulder so heavy that the small tree bent under its weight.

"Geo, Rollout!" Forrest called with a wave of his hand. The Graveler ran a few steps, then it leaped forward landing in a curl and rolling toward Bulbasaur's hiding place.

"Run away!" Ash cried his tone frantic. Bulbasaur peaked from behind her tree before squeaking and diving behind it again. The rock-type barreled through the tree with ease slowing only slightly on impact. After a moment, the grass-poison-type hobbled into his vision with surprising speed. The cow was obviously favoring her right side, but looked oddly pleased with herself.

The rock-type trundled a few yards in front of his trainer looking oddly tired for such a short battle. _Did it get by Poison Powder? No that would do anything. Sleep Powder?_ That would explain Bulbasaur's satisfied expression. Unfortunately, rock and ground-types tended to live in caves populated by Zubat; poison of this level would only be an inconvenience. "Finish this," he told her quietly. She hissed and charged bringing her vines out as she did.

"Smack Down," Forrest stated his tone dismissive. Geo grunted yanking a rock out of the ground and sending it soaring toward the grass-type. She dodged it with ease, hardly slowing as she did. Bulbasaur wrapped a vine around the Graveler's right arm and slapped its unguarded belly with her other. "Mega Punch!" Forrest commanded. The rock-type hissed clutching its stomach and pulling Bulbasaur's vine harshly. The saurian shrieked as she was torn off the ground and through the air. Graveler cocked its glowing fist back with a vindictive gleam shining in its beady eyes.

"Leech Seed!" Ash shouted desperately, clenching his fists. It didn't matter whether it was poisoned if she was hit directly it was over. His Pokemon's aim was true the small seed hit the rock-type between its eyes. The beast of stone flinched upon impact, its fist losing its glow. His partner struck Graveler's stomach again, this time slightly lower. Bulbasaur collided with the rock-type's head, knocking it onto its back.

"Geo!" Forrest cried his eyes wide. For the first, time the boy seemed anxious.

"Now," Ash ordered with a smirk. Bulbasaur narrowed her eyes, her bulb glowing slightly as the seed sprouted several small vines. Almost twice as big as a week ago, the boy noted with pride. A beam of scarlet light engulfed the flailing rock-type. Forrest released his second Pokemon with a scowl. "Come back!" Ash told his tired Pokemon. She had more than earned a rest after that performance; the trainer didn't see any point in pushing her further.

His opponent's Pokemon was a brown quadruped, with dark brown skin and a very thick midsection. It had two holes on its face that Ash assumed were its nostrils, and light brown spots over its body. The trainer blinked, he had never seen this Pokemon before. Who would be best, he wondered his hands hovering over his Pokeballs. "Hurry up!" Forrest yelled his face set in a scowl.

"Fine, fine," Ash grumbled releasing Krabby. It would be best to save Gore, most trainers, saved their strongest for last. The raven-haired trainer doubted Forrest was any different. "Bubble, scale," the boy told his Pokemon quietly, "Remember what we talked about," he continued in the same tone.

"Take Down!" the other boy cried. The hippo like Pokemon huffed before charging an intense white glow surrounding it.

Ash swallowed harshly, Take Down was regarded as twice as powerful as Tackle, a Pokemon built like that using it could kill a young Pokemon with ease. "Just a bit longer," the boy whispered to his anxious crab. The Pokemon shuffled nervously, but held strong, his right claw extended toward his opponent. "Now!" Ash shouted

Krabby clicked as he jetted a widespread Bubble attack at his opponent's feet. The hippo roared in agony and stumbled, losing control of its power as it did. Definitely, a ground-type, the majority of them couldn't stand water. Krabby hit the hippo with a far more concentrated Bubble this time in its face. The Pokemon groaned backpedaling as quickly as it could shaking its head furiously. "Vice Grip!"

"Sand Tomb, guard!" Forrest yelled with a grin. The ground-type groaned, then stomped its front feet.

"Pull back!" Ash cried. Too late, Krabby was already stuck in the quicksand and sinking fast. The crab snipped at his opponent to no avail, the hippo was out of range. "Bubble!"

"Behind it, then, Take Down," Forrest commanded. To Ash's shock, the ground-type darted around his Pokemon's attack easily. He'd never thought it could move that quickly. The crab struggled mightily firing desperate bubbles at the quicksand.

"Harden!" Ash ordered urgently. A white sheen covered the water-type as the hippo barreled into him with its Take Down. Krabby was blasted off his feet, he tumbled end over end as he hit the ground.

"Sandy!" Forrest cried. Ash's brow furrowed, why not push his advantage? After a beat he noticed Sandy was favoring her left side and moving at a snail's pace. _That's right, Take Down is a reckless charge that hurts the user as well!_ Krabby pushed himself up slowly, eyes weary and claws drooping.

"Sandy, Surrenders," Forrest said quietly, "You were amazing," the boy told his recalled Pokemon. "Go, Rocky!" the young trainer shouted, throwing a worn Pokeball into the air. His final opponent was a snake of stone over thrice as long as Ash was tall and about as wide as Gore. It also had a large horn on its head gray head.

"Krabby, return," Ash said wide-eyed. His opponent was an Onix, the favored Pokemon of the Pewter gym for centuries, and with very good reason. Krabby and Bulbasaur wouldn't stand a chance against such a beast, even if it was a fairly young specimen. "Take this seriously," he told Gore upon release. His friend snarled at Rocky without fear raising his chin to display his tusks. Powder Snow didn't have the range to take Onix down before the battle became physical.

He glanced around the field quickly, searching for anything that could help or hinder his partner.

"Stay away from the trees. Tackle then, Powder Snow," Ash ordered in a whisper. Most ground-types hated ice moves; the abrupt change in temperature could kill them at worst. Powder Snow was the only hope they had. The boar's ear twitched, then he surged forward with a white glow surrounding him.

"Rock Throw," Forrest said his tone calm. Rocky roared jerking its head, sending a boulder as large as Graveler at its opponent. Gore rammed the rock, the force of his Tackle sending it back at its master. The snake batted the stone away without visible difficulty, then met the Gore's charge with a swing of its tail. "Bind!" Forrest commanded. Rocky wrapped its glowing tail around the dazed swine and squeezed the flailing boar.

"Powder Snow!" Ash shouted. Gore blasted his opponent's face, making the Onix roar in agony. The boar wiggled out of its grip, then sent another stream of snowy wind at Rocky. The snake was consumed by a scarlet light before the boar's attack could connect.

"It's your win," Forrest stated with a frown. The boy offered Ash a gray bill with a strange steel giant with red eyes on it. A hundred dollars, the boy thought, with a quick intake of breath. "Best of luck," he continued politely.

"See ya," Ash mumbled absently patting Gore and staring at the bill. This was the first battle he'd been in that included all the team. The trainer knew that the more Pokemon involved in a fight the more one earned, but holding the hundred dollars was far sweeter than he could have imagined. In the past week, they had learned three moves, won seven battles, and earned a little over three hundred dollars.

Tomorrow morning they would make for Mt. Moon.

* * *

Every day the team went on a run together, they trained for as long as possible and Ash spent time researching potential moves and ways to make evolution safe for his young team. _So why can't I sleep?_ He rubbed his irritable eyes gently. Ash thought staring at the sky. _At least the nights are good here_. He couldn't see the moon fully but the fluffy, lazy; clouds were a remarkable sight in their own right.

He would miss Pewter. He would miss the option to bathe daily and the free food far more though. Ms. Jane told him that Gore would eat more, but even she seemed shocked by the amount the pig could eat. If Ash didn't stop him the Swinub's cause of death would be Pokemon chow. He smiled fondly, five years later and he was still the piglet that could fit in Ash's hand. Ash yawned rubbing at his tired eyes. He needed to go in soon.

The boy felt a small sharp poke in his lower back. He froze, was it a knife? A familiar gurgle made him relax instantly. Ash sighed, it was just Krabby. "You can't sleep either?" The boy asked, rubbing the crab's red shell firmly. The crab chirped angrily, glaring at him with surprising intensity. "I kept you up," Ash stated shifting guiltily. He must have left the door open as well. Ms. Jane wouldn't be thrilled if she found out." Sorry," he said awkwardly. Ash stood quickly, motioning for Krabby to follow.

Xxxxxx

"Maybe we should stay for another week," Ash said casually as he dug through his bag. The pokechow, potions, and cleaning supplies were there; as they had been the last three times, he had checked. The last three times in front of the gate anyway. Gore squealed angrily nudging him with a hoof. The trainer sighed, they set a goal, and if they didn't hurry, it would be impossible. Ash took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He clenched his fists, "Let's go guys!"

After a few hours, the boy was starting to feel silly. They were very ready for the weak Pokemon around Pewter. The trainers in Pewter had spoiled him. Some of them were overwhelming and all of them were challenging in their own way. The tamers outside the "City of Stone" were mainly bug catchers or campers. Ash loathed campers, they stayed in one place for the entire season and only challenged rookies or tired trainers. The vast majority didn't even bother to train their Pokemon. Watching a camper's-who didn't even offer him a name- face change colors after Krabby swept her team had been a thing of beauty.

"You good, bud?" Ash asked, scratching behind Gore's ear. The Swinub grunted stubbornly speeding up. The team had been forced to stop twice because Ash couldn't handle his new bag's weight. Gore hated stopping for anything if he wasn't hungry, so he became their "bag boar". The bag boar did not appreciate being called a bag boar though, Ash thought rubbing his back. _Completely worth the pain._

He glanced to his left Krabby was still going strong. Good, the trainer had worried the crab would dry out under the cloudless sky. It seemed like all of his worries had been silly. The only thing left was to set up camp. Bulbasaur sniffed the air loudly. She turned to him and whined gesturing into the forest with her vine. Ash nodded and she darted away her head lowered. The boy was proud that she tried to stay in his sight. At least for a few seconds, then the excitement overwhelmed her and she sprinted deeper into the woods. He sighed, then sprinted after her, at least she waited a bit longer.

Ash swerved around a small tree, ducked under a low branch and barely managed to stop in front of a thorn bush. Krabby, having caught up with him, eyed the bushes for a moment, then the insides of his claws started to glow. Vice Grip made short work of the bushes. Bulbasaur was hiding in the shade of a thick tree across the small clearing glaring at something he couldn't see. Another Pokemon must have gotten their first. Krabby chirped angrily and charged into the clearing with his Vice Grip on.

Ash leaped into the clearing with a curse and his last Pokeball ready. The trainer froze; Krabby was glaring at a small pink creature without a neck and two tiny wings sitting on a very large boulder. A Clefable, a very small Clefable sitting out in the open likely gazing at the moon. He gripped his Pokeball so tightly his knuckles became white. They were among the rarest Pokemon in the world and arguably, the strongest the fairy-type had to offer. He adored his Krabby. The boy blinked, why wasn't Krabby attacking? Was the fairy-type too much? Oddly enough, it looked as though she were ignoring them.

"Bulbasaur, return," Ash whispered. _She can't hurt anything on this level and odds are neither Krabby nor Gore can alone._ As if on cue, Gore burst into the clearing panting heavily. He squealed indignantly, obviously displeased with being left behind. He must have ditched the bag to catch up, Ash thought. The boar froze, and then turned slowly to glare at the fairy-type. He walked next to the water-type slowly, his eyes intent on the fairy. "Powder Snow and Bubble!" Ash cried.

Ash blinked again, his Pokemon weren't moving. "Guys! You're in a fight!" he whispered angrily. _Could it be Gravity?_ The trainer flinched; the Clefable was mere inches from him! Her large purple eyes peered into his frozen brown orbs curiously. The fairy tilted her head to the right and her gaze looked through him. Ash couldn't move, he couldn't breathe, the fairy's purple eyes freezing him more effectively than any Alakazam's psychic grip.

In the back of his mind the trainer was aware of a rumbling and the ground shaking, he heard a weak squeal and an equally weak gurgle, important he knew, but why? The boy shivered, the air was chilling quickly in a familiar way. "Gore!" he yelled backpedaling so quickly he tripped. Ash fumbled to his feet, glancing searching the clearing desperately. Gore and Krabby were still being crushed against the ground and the giant boulder was gone. Ash swallowed harshly. _Did she lift something like that with Gravity?_

A warm powerful gust of wind of wind from behind him made the boy stumble. Not wind, the trainer corrected horror settling in his belly like a stone, something exhaling. Ash turned slowly looking into the narrow brown eyes of the largest Pokemon he had ever seen. It dwarfed even Bruno's Onix's length, and was as broad as Wave. The Onix exhaled again, this time knocking the gaping boy onto his back. Onix rose to its full height holding its head high, then slithered away, oddly not making a sound as it did or destroying the trail. Clefable giggled and waved at him as she skipped after the titanic snake.

"Gore, Krabby, you good?" he asked, staring at the disappearing snake and fairy wide eyed. Gore groaned and Krabby chirped. "We just lost to a twenty pound Pokemon," Ash stated blankly. The trainer rose with a sigh. They needed to set up camp soon it was getting late. Bulbasaur seemed to think there was a fruit tree near so we have to get that too, Ash thought as he turned to his Pokemon. Gore was staring at where the boulder, Onix's head, he corrected, had lain with an unusually pensive expression. "Krabby can you find some berries?" Ash requested patting the dust off his jeans.

The water-type clicked before walking to where the fairy had been sitting. Krabby shoved Gore making the pig stumble as he strode past him. Ash gaped, where had that come from? Gore growled and spat a small glob of mud at the crab's back. The water-type chirped angrily as he turned to face the boar with his claws raised. The ice-type snarled and exhaled a frosty breath at the crab. "What the hell are you doing?" Ash blurted.

Krabby shot a concentrated Bubble attack through the wind and into the boar's face. Gore reared back with a pained whine. Krabby shot another stream of bubbles into the boar's stomach, knocking him onto his back. The crab charged Gore with his claws glowing, undoubtedly planning to attack his opponent before he could right himself. Ash cursed as he fumbled for his pokeballs. They're in the bag, he thought with a sinking heart.

A screech of pain snapped the boy's attention back to the fight. To his horror, Krabby was frozen to the ground and unmoving. Gore had a rapidly growing dark spot on his side, blood, he realized with a flinch. _They're really going to kill each other!_ "Gore!" he screamed scrambling toward the swine. His partner ignored him and hobbled toward where Krabby was trapped with his head lowered. Ash grabbed the ice-type's ear harshly and dug his heel in as hard as he could.

"Calm down!" he snarled into the struggling boar's ear. Gore reared back and shook his head wildly, determined to finish the crab. Ash's arms were burning and his breaths were quickly becoming strained with the strain of holding the swine. Only the knowledge that Krabby would die if he failed to stop his friend kept the boy from giving in under the incredible pressure. Mercifully, Gore's struggles were losing strength rapidly. Clefable's Gravity must have worn him out, the thirteen-year old thought. He gave a relieved sigh when the ice-ground-type's strength finally failed him, and he collapsed.

Ash slumped onto his Pokemon as he gasped. Gore huffed annoyed, but allowed him to lie against him without protest. If he can even do that much, the trainer thought with a weak snort. You and me need to work on that temper," Ash told the ice-type with a huff. The boy pushed himself to his feet and wobbled to Krabby.

"You okay?" he asked. Krabby glared at his trainer. Ash shrugged, he was too tired to care about how dumb he sounded. With a harsh tug, the crab Pokemon was freed. The trainer helped the water-type to his feet with a gentle push. Krabby hissed at Gore weakly waving his claw in a manner that was likely meant to be threatening. The Swinub snarled and began dragging himself with his chin toward his opponent. "Enough!" Ash said firmly grabbing the water-type's arms. Anger surged through the raven-haired boy when they ignored him again.

"You two are part of a herd!" he snarled. As he expected, Gore flinched and turned away from him with a whine. Krabby was still defiant, glaring at him, and tugging to free himself. "I expected more honor from a king!" Ash snarled.

Krabby recoiled as though he had been slapped. The proud crab's his eyes were shut tightly and he covered himself with his claws. "No more fighting," Ash said with an exhausted sigh. Gore hobbled to him with his eyes downcast - something he had not done in years - and butted him lightly. The trainer wrapped his arms around his Pokemon's neck and squeezed gently.

From what he understood there were many bitter losses in a trainer's career, but he had never heard of a team being beaten so horribly in the first month of their journey twice. It was completely understandable that they would be angry enough to take it out on one another. Ash looked to Krabby's huddled form sadly. The prideful water-type looked smaller than the trainer had ever thought he could be. Some Pokemon were known to become closed off after a humiliating defeat, he'd read. It was a trainer's job to get through to them. How he dealt with the situation could determine whether the Pokemon could be a true member of their team.

Ash rubbed his temples. _This is gonna suck._

Xxxxxxx

The Indigo League will be very different here. For instance, Lance will be his anime age while Karen will be slightly older than her game counterpart. Also, Ritchie's Pikachu is canon Pikachu's little brother. In case you couldn't guess, Pikachu is the demonic Pichu.


	2. Chapter 2

I own nothing please support the official release.

I'm taking some liberties with the verse. Pretty sure you guys knew that, but I wanted to put it out there. Other stuff like questions will be at the bottom.

Episode 2

Of Boar and Vixen

Xxxxxxxxx

"All unauthorized trainers found off the designated paths will be fined ten-thousand dollars," Ash muttered incredulously. Beneath the message was the official symbol of Pewter, a round stone with the Onix King carved onto it. He blinked and read the sign again. "No going up. I guess," he said scratching the back of his head. If he remembered correctly, Daisy had gone up the mountain about three years ago to find a Moon Stone for Pins and she hadn't mentioned anything about restrictions. The rule must be recent, but why even have it, the boy wondered with narrowed eyes. It didn't matter he decided with a disappointed sigh, they would have to come back to explore the upper levels. "Come on y'all! We gotta hurry if want to be outta here before noon!"

His Pokemon voiced their understanding tiredly. Krabby's drooping claws and Bulbasaur's shaky legs sent a surge of guilt through him. Ash ignored the ache in his chest and scoured his surroundings for his closest friend. He sighed having his friend in his ball was something he would probably never get used to. Unfortunately, the trainer didn't have a clue how he was supposed to solve the tension. Gramps and Daisy would know, he thought rubbing his chin. Ash scowled, he refused to rely on his family every time he had a problem.

A dark appendage poked his forehead gently snapping him out of his thoughts and making him flinch. Bulbasaur crooned and Krabby gurgled worriedly. "Just thinking!" Ash said with a reassuring smile. His smile seemed to satisfy them as they turned back to the cavern's entrance. "Let's go!"

Xxxxxxx

Ash ran his hands along the unnaturally smooth stonewall. The wall and floor had few cracks. The cracks they did have were tiny. The difference between the interior of the mountain and the entrance was breathtaking. Bulbasaur lowered her head and snorted dislodging dust. She must have already guessed, he thought watching the saurian snort again. Mt. Moon was best known for its vast fairy-type population but many other Pokémon made it their home. Powerful Pokemon such as Golem, Nidoqueen, and Donphan had been seen repeatedly.

So why are you so smooth, the trainer wondered with narrowed eyes? Most ground-type monarchs were overprotective at best and fell into a rage easily at worst. The cavern's fantastic state could mean only one thing. Something in the mountain can control them, he thought with a grin. It could be aggressive and there's a huge fine, he reminded himself taking a deep breath. The fine won't matter if I don't get caught, Ash thought. "Don't make a sound and stick close to me," he told his partners quietly.

Bulbasaur glanced around the clearing nervously before trotting after him. Krabby ignored him in favor of running his claws along the wall. His claws had taken on a silver sheen and his eyes were glazed over. Ash's brow furrowed. _That's_ _Metal Claw but when did he?_ "The boulders!" he cried suddenly making Bulbasaur flinch. "Sorry," he apologized with a grimace.

Surprisingly, Krabby ignored his cry again. Ash narrowed his eyes "Stay here," he told Bulbasaur quietly as he approached the crab Pokemon cautiously. "Buddy?" He said kneeling next to the water-type. To his dismay, Krabby continued to stare at the wall blankly. Ash reached toward the crab's extended limb hesitantly, half expecting him to be hypnotized, and grabbed the claw. The trainer blinked nothing happened. Ash eyed the crab carefully then moved his claw with a quick jerk.

The water-type flinched and backpedaled out of his trainer's grip. "You alright?" Ash asked glancing between the crab and the wall. He had never heard of a Pokemon reacting this way to a mountain. The stories of a treasure hidden in Mt. Moon, might they be connected to this, he thought rubbing his chin. Krabby gurgled quietly glaring at the wall as though it had offended him horribly. Ash rose quickly, "We're leaving!" he said gesturing for his Pokemon to follow.

His team followed him hurriedly. Bulbasaur was crouched low and glanced suspiciously, as she followed him. Krabby wasn't any better; he was glaring at their surroundings and clenching his pincers tightly. The team didn't know what was wrong with this mountain but they weren't sticking around to find out.

Xxxxxxxx

"Think that's the last mountain we're goin' under for a while," Ash snarled as he pulled his hat out of his bag. Krabby hissed irritably shielding his eyes with a claw. The sun might not have been so terrible if it weren't for the fact that there was nearly a mile of trees around the mountain. At least Bulbasaur is happy, he thought with a sigh. The green saurian had used her vines to climb onto a boulder and was sunbathing with a blissful look on her face. He'd let her enjoy herself for a bit. "I'm going to let him out," Ash told Krabby quietly.

The crab tensed and regarded Gore's Pokeball as though it were diseased. "None of that," the boy sighed as he released his oldest partner. The swine squealed happily upon release and butted his knee hard enough to make him wince. He grunted a greeting at Bulbasaur then froze. Gore snapped his head toward Krabby with a snarl. Krabby's dark eyes narrowed as he raised his right claw. "No!" Ash commanded grabbing the boar's ear harshly.

"I told you, no fighting!" he barked sending his Pokemon a stern look. Krabby glared back but relented when his trainer's gaze didn't falter. Gore stomped his hooves petulantly and tugged to free himself. "Gore," Ash warned. The ice-type gave him an innocent look that he returned with an unimpressed stare. The swine huffed and turned his back on them. "No dinner," the trainer said with a casual shrug. Gore snapped toward him so quickly that Krabby jumped. The boar snorted urgently then nuzzled and licked his trainer's hand sloppily.

"You're gonna train together aren't you?" Ash asked with a grin. Krabby eyed him respectfully and Gore grunted vigorously. "Bulbasaur c'mere!" She wailed and flattened herself on the boulder as far as she could. "You can nap later!" he said rolling his eyes. The dinosaur moaned but crawled down the boulder slowly.

"I want you two to go work on your Mud Shot and Water Gun on that," he said pointing to the large boulder Bulbasaur had been resting on. He waited for the males to begin training before turning to the lone female, "And you will be working on something special with me," Ash whispered conspiratorially.

Bulbasaur trilled excitedly her pink eyes lighting up with her happiness. "I want to teach you….. Energy Ball!" Ash declared with a dramatic wave of his arm. The saurian cow narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to the side. Does she not know what it is, the trainer panicked. According to a book he'd read a year back all grass-types instinctively knew how to gather energy from nature. _Damn you Erika_ , he thought with a scowl. He should have known better than to take advice from someone who spent so much time near a gloom.

"I uh….." Ash gaped when a small green ball formed in the grass-type's mouth. Bulbasaur's eyes narrowed further and it expanded slightly then it fizzled and dispersed into green streams. She blinked staring at the strands of energy as they rejoined the surrounding trees. "Everyone who says grass Pokemon are for girls are idiots," Ash said his eyes wide. Bulbasaur cooed her agreement. "You did great, keep going and you'll master it in no time!" he told her happily. She crooned and took a few steps away from him, eager to resume her training.

The trainer smiled then turned to check on Gore and Krabby. The two seemed to be ignoring each other but there weren't any signs of aggression. Seeing his Pokemon treat their fellows so coldly was irritating. I guess at this stage not fighting is progress, Ash thought with a shrug. The raven-haired boy settled beneath a large tree laying his pack beside him groaning with relief when the pack slipped off his shoulders. He glanced around the clearing one last time then took out his map and Pokedex. It was farther from Bulbasaur than he would have preferred but he was more concerned with the males fighting than her wandering off. Mainly because there probably aren't any fruit trees near her, he admitted with a snort.

As the boy studied the map, he found himself immensely grateful his mother talked him into buying it. He also felt incredibly stupid for thinking he wouldn't need it. Apparently, some of the tunnels in Mt. Moon ran all the way to Cerulean and even Mt. Hideaway, which somewhat explained the presence of the gigantic Onix. Ash shuddered at the thought of fighting such a behemoth so soon.

If they continued south, they would reach Celadon. The only difficult part of the journey would be staying hydrated and on track in Grandpa Canyon. He tugged on his hat thoughtfully; Krabby would dry out in the heat so having him out constantly was impossible. Gore would be limited as well; the last of the boar's kind dwelled in the Icy path for a reason after all. As a grass-type, Bulbasaur would be a bit vulnerable to the heat as well but as long as she drank enough her powers wouldn't be limited, other than Energy Ball.

Good thing we have these, Ash thought slipping his hand into his pocket. The food and water capsules were arguably the greatest aid a trainer could have. With one food capsule, he could feed his young team easily and one water capsule was more than they could drink. Knowing Gore's evolution was approaching Ms. Jane had offered them to him at half price. Little wonder his frugal grandfather seemed so fond of her, he must have done his shopping at the Pewter center. He grinned. Definitely, why the old man thought she was the best in Kanto.

It was already twelve, which meant only an hour of training then lunch and they would have to set out again. Ash frowned they wouldn't be able to train in the desert even if supplies weren't an issue; the journey was a precious month long. If they were to stand a chance against Erika, they needed Gore to evolve. Even the woman known as the gentlest of the eight would obliterate them otherwise.

He flinched when a wail came from Bulbasaur's direction. Ash threw his map aside and pocketed his Pokedex. The trainer swerved around a tree barely managing to duck beneath a low branch and scoured the area for his Pokémon. Bulbasaur had climbed up a tall tree and was clinging to the trunk tightly. Her face was fearful and when he looked beneath the tree, Ash understood why. There were brown foxes circling the tree and glaring up at her. The foxes had reddish brown with red tails that varied in number from two to five. They were Vulpix, fire breathing pack hunters that seemed to have decided to make his Pokemon their next meal.

Ash clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles began turning white. He bent down and grabbed a thick stick and a large rock, "Back off!" he roared throwing the rock into the pack. His aim was true; the five-tailed vixen was hit on the side of her head and knocked onto her side. The other Vulpix turned to him with their teeth bared and barked a warning. The trainer bent quickly procuring another rock and stomped his feet doing his best to hide any trepidation. He puffed his chest out and stood at his full height, hoping his size would be enough to dissuade the vixen. However, the pack was not so easily intimidated and charged him with only a moment's hesitation.

He had just wound his makeshift weapon back when a spray of bubbles crashed into the leading vixen. The trainer smirked when Krabby sprang from the forest and blasted the pack again this time in the middle. A heartbeat later and Gore burst from the woods as well. The swine snarled and fired his Mud Shot into the pack sweeping many of them off their feet. Ash's smirk widened into a grin at the feat. It looked like the experience with the bug catchers wasn't a complete waste of time. Krabby and Gore took positions in front of him waving their claws and pawing the ground respectively.

The leading Vulpix righted herself and barked at her pack. The fire-type's snarled as one and moved to surround them. "Bubble and Powder Snow!" Ash cried gritting his teeth. Vulpix and Growlithe are well known for this tactic, surrounding difficult prey then setting them alight.

Before his Pokemon's attacks hit pink wall appeared in front of the vixen, they had targeted. Ash gaped the wall didn't even seem strained by his team's attacks; it had to have been Reflect. Using Psychic energy to create a barrier wasn't extraordinary but it was still well beyond most Vulpix. Something cold clenched the boy's innards as he came to a realization. The matriarch had joined the fray, but where, he wondered with narrowed eyes. There, he thought, even when striding toward them with murderous intent the boy found the Ninetales was graceful.

Her slender golden form shone in the sun and her tails beautiful tails were alight with the purple flames of Will-O-Wisp. With great effort, the boy looked away from the vixen's tails and avoided her eyes. If he looked into her eyes they were already dead, he knew. "Don't look her in the eyes!" Ash hissed to Krabby as he moved to hide Gore's brown eyes with his thick fur. Ground-types tended to be simple and his friend wasn't an exception. Gore wouldn't be able to resist the experienced matriarch. His sense of smell, hearing, and sensitive hooves were far better methods of fighting than his weak vision anyway.

The walls lowered yet the Vulpix chose not to push their advantage. Instead, they stared at the Ninetales with a reverence that bordered on worship. The matriarch cooed to the smaller vixen that instantly broke formation and retreated several yards. Ninetales turned her snout down on them and sat on her haunches. Krabby hissed waving a glowing claw and Gore snarled exhaling a frosty breath as he did. The vixen yawned.

Ash's jaw clenched and he forced down the fire that coursed through him with difficulty. The trainer grabbed the choleric crab's pincer and the swine's ear gently before the males lost themselves to their temper. He exhaled slowly keeping his eyes trainer on the vixen. "Don't use ice and make the fight physical," Ash whispered. While the males voiced their understanding, the vixen's long ears twitched.

Even when Ash's Pokemon charged, the Ninetales maintained her nonchalant air. They neared yet the vixen still refused to move. Only after they had activated their Vice Grip and Tackle did she react. Ninetales leaped over the duo effortlessly. The Vulpix howled in a manner that reminded him of cheering and Ash gaped. Krabby turned and stared at the matriarch with wary eyes. The crab Pokemon must have realized how powerful his opponent likely was. Gore whined confusedly and moved to sniff the ground. "She jumped!" Ash snapped.

The Ninetales barked haughtily then she crouched with the closest thing to a serious look he had seen on her face. Ash's eyes widened in fear, Flame Burst. "Mud Shot, Bubble!" he shouted desperately. Sensing his urgency, the males poured every ounce of power into their attacks. The vixen fired her shot exploding on impact with Gore and Krabby's. "Gore! Krabby!" the trainer cried uncovering his eyes.

His heart sank at the sight of the matriarch. Though the ground in front of the Ninetales was blackened, her fur was as prim as it had been before the fight and her tails no longer burned with Will-O-Wisp. Ash swallowed harshly, the only reason she would have turned her flames off was that she believed the team was no longer a threat. To his relief, yards away Gore and Krabby still stood albeit on shaky legs. The look in the crab's eyes was one of determination but the shaking of his arms wasn't from exhaustion, the trainer knew. Gore may not have been frightened but the uncharacteristic tension in the swine's form spoke volumes.

Ash inhaled sharply. There was only one way he could help his team. The trainer drew Gore and Krabby's Pokeballs shakily. He licked his lips and aimed the capsules. The Vulpix barked excitedly as Ninetales crouched low and took a deep breath. Ash returned his Pokemon just a moment before she discharged a thick stream of flame at them. The trainer turned quickly and threw his friend's capsules into the forest with all of his strength. Pokeballs were designed to endure nearly everything; he had to hope the Ninetales' flames were included.

He sent a cursory glance in Bulbasaur's direction. She was obscured from his view by the trees branches but the fact that she wasn't making any noise was a good sign. Her instincts must have taken over. As long as she listens to them she'll be fine, he assured himself. Especially since they're about to be full, he thought with a shudder.

Ash took a deep breath and steeled himself. There wasn't any point in dying a coward. Even with that thought, the matriarch turning her ruby gaze on him made him want nothing more than to flee. She looked between him and the blackened area where his Pokemon's had stood. Then she sauntered toward him. We're a game; he realized shutting his eyes tightly. The grass in front of him crunched and his breathing grew rapid and harsh. To his shame, even knowing what was coming he couldn't bring himself to look at his killer.

Instead of ghostly flames torching him or sharp canines tearing into his neck he heard a startled yip. The sight that greeted his eyes was one Ash was certain he would remember for the rest of his life. Bulbasaur was clinging to the vixen's head and had her vines wrapped around her snout effectively muzzling the fire-type. Ninetales thrashed dislodging the tiny dinosaur and sending her crashing into her trainer's chest. The vixen snarled her tails burning with Will-O-Wisp again.

Ash spun quickly and hugged Bulbasaur to his chest tightly. The heat increased to the point he felt as though his neck was on fire then the vixen fired. He heard the Flame Burst explode yet the boy didn't feel any pain. A furious shriek and the heat moved away. His brow furrowed and he peeked over his shoulder. The Vulpix were barking furiously at a round ape like Pokemon with white fur that was blasting stones bigger than he was at the matriarch.

The Primeape shrieked again and charged the Ninetales dodging the purple streams of flame thrown its way with ease. The matriarch snarled and the ghostly fire grew until it covered her body from view and met the monkey's charge. The Primeape slammed its glowing fist into the vixen's forehead sending her tumbling into a tree.

Heedless of its burned hand the Primeape shrieked triumphantly and beat its chest. The Ninetales rose slowly eyeing the pig monkey warily. She barked and the pack charged the fighting-type as one. Ash stared in a stunned silence until Bulbasaur hissed at him. "Right," he mumbled standing. They needed to run. They would only be in the way. Ash took a step away and hesitated. The trainer looked beyond his shoulder.

Even with the full force of the pack coming down on it, the Primeape refused to back down. The monkey was covered in small burns and had blood trickling down its leg. The fighting-type had come to help them and they were about to abandon it to certain death. Never, he swore to himself gathering his resolve. "You know how to release the others right?" Ash asked looking into his Bulbasaur's pink eyes. She whimpered glancing between the fight and her trainer. "Go!" he barked.

She flinched then jumped and sped off into the woods with her nose to the ground. _I didn't mean to scare you._ Ash ignored the gnawing in his belly and knelt grabbing as many stones as his pockets could hold. The monkey shrieked this time in pain and he flinched. The trainer cursed his lack of foresight. If he had his knife, he wouldn't have needed to find a stick. Scoffing he leaped and pulled the lowest branch he could. With his weapon in hand, he turned back to the fight.

The fighting-type had two Vulpix hanging on to its muscular arms and a massive blackened spot on its chest. The matriarch was favoring her right side but was otherwise unharmed. The monkey was fighting valiantly but the struggle would be over soon. Ash took aim and cocked his arm back. The monkey fell to knee and Ash threw the rock with all his might. The Vulpix hanging off its left arm fell with a squeak the right followed a moment later.

The dislodged vixen turned to him with snarls. They made to charge him but were stopped when the monkey grabbing their tails. The fighting-type snarled and threw the Vulpix at the matriarch, who rolled out of the way with ease. Three members of the pack snapped to him and spat tiny bursts of flame.

He squawked and dove behind the nearest tree. Ash peeked beyond the tree before ducking back when a stream of fire nearly ended him. The trainer grinned when a familiar squealing Swinub sprinted into his view. "Primeape is on our side!" he declared as the boar charged into the battle. Gore spat a widespread glob of mud at the Vulpix attacking him and a gust of freezing wind a second later. The swine sent another Powder Snow at the downed vixen then he charged into the middle of the battle without hesitation.

Krabby ran into the fight with a battle cry and bubbles surrounding him. "Use your claws without restraint!" Ash commanded stepping out from behind the tree. The crab gurgled his understanding and blasted his Water Gun at a five-tailed Vulpix. With his team, busying the pack the Primeape and matriarch squared off. They glared at one another displaying Flame Charge and glowing fists in an attempt to intimidate their opponent. Even with the trainer distracting the Vulpix, Gore and Krabby couldn't win. Whether they survived or not depended on the Primeape being the victor.

The Primeape lost its patience first. With a wave of its arm, it sent three blades of stone larger than Ash at the matriarch. The Ninetales darted around the attack with ease. She shot several Flame Bursts at her opponent barely slowing her charge.

Three moves at the same time so casually, Ash choked. He'd heard the Vulpix line was great at combining moves but he'd never realized they could do it so casually. The Primeape leaped out of the clearing and onto a tree. It leaped into a tree when the matriarch fired another shot. It's no good, the trainer realized with a sinking heart. The fighting-type had already taken at least a Flamethrower to the chest and its opponent was relatively fresh. It didn't help that the Ninetales could fight at a distance and Primeape were close range Pokemon.

They had to help it. A soft snort near his feet made him stiffen. He relaxed almost instantly when a vine tapped his hand. Bulbasaur was trying to make herself look as small as possible and glancing between him and the Vulpix fearfully. "You don't have to fight," Ash murmured. "But I need a Leech Seed, okay?" He asked as gently as he could. She stared at him uncomprehending but closed her eyes and produced a seed. The trainer smiled at the exhausted dinosaur before turning back to the fight.

The seed would be worthless if the Ninetales' ghostly armor activated. He grit his teeth, their only opening would be when the Primeape was nearly defeated. Gore and Krabby were holding up well but the crab's claws were drooping and Gore had several small burns. Several of the Vulpix had been wounded and carried off by members of their pack but there were still at least six vixens in fighting shape.

"On my mark," he whispered to Bulbasaur. The Primeape's stones were only about half the size they'd been at the beginning of the fight and they lacked the edge. The matriarch had taken a hit when he had looked away as well and had a large dark patch on its right side. Her Will-O-Wisp had been deactivated leaving her wreathed in ordinary if intense fire.

Finally, Primeape sank to a knee and the matriarch's Flame Charge turned off. She panted heavily the full strain of her battle settling in. The Vulpix barked triumphantly, unintentionally opening themselves to Gore's Mud Slap and Krabby's Bubble. He smirked proudly when one of the Vulpix limped away dragging her fallen sister with her.

The Primeape squeaked defiantly when the Ninetales turned its attention back to it. Ash and Bulbasaur tensed, not yet. He licked his lips and the grass-type crouched. The matriarch fell into a crouch and Ash threw the Leech Seed with all his might. For the first time his aim was off, it hit the ground in front of the vixen. Ash inhaled sharply when she turned to him angrily. She took a menacing step forward then vines burst from the seed. The matriarch yipped and flailed attempting to free herself.

A large stone slammed into the vixen from behind. The Primeape shrieked and charged its downed opponent. The Ninetales scrambled to her feet and reactivated her Flame Charge. The Primeape's glowing foot smashed into the vixen's face sending her soaring through the air and crashing through a tree. The Primeape shrieked triumphantly as the pack ran to their leader. "Yeah!" Ash cheered pumping his fist.

Bulbasaur and Krabby echoed his cry happily. Ash grinned so widely his face hurt rubbing Bulbasaur and Krabby. "Gore, come back!" He shouted when the swine made to chase the pack. The trainer hugged his Krabby tightly telling him how proud he was and how brave the crab had been. As he ran his hands along the crab's shell Ash noticed small nubs that he couldn't remember. He shook his head; it didn't matter now. Gore inserted himself into the hug with a squeal and licked the team sloppily. To Ash's delight, Krabby only flinched at the affectionate gesture.

Leaves crunching close to them made the team jump. Before he could react, Gore shoved himself in front of his herd and snarled at the new arrival. The Primeape snorted at his friend, unimpressed with the overprotective swine. Ash stepped forwards - much to Gore's displeasure - and placed a calming hand on the ice-type's head.

"Thank you," he said softly. The trainer lowered his hand into one of his lower pockets slowly. The fighting-type tensed slightly but relaxed instantly when he drew a potion. Ash bent at his knees and lowered his eyes. Primeape hate being looked in the eye, he thought. It hissed when the potion made contact.

Once he finished applying, the medicine Ash backed away slowly his eyes still avoiding the monkey's gaze. The monkey grunted in what he assumed to be gratitude. "Tiny!" A deep voice boomed relief clear in its tone. Ash flinched and his team jumped. They turned as one and regarded the newcomer carefully. The voice belonged to a muscular man with heavily tanned skin, black hair tied into a ponytail, and at least seven and a half feet tall. Oddly, the man was shirtless but what caught Ash's eye was the black belt tied around his waist, a fighting-type master then. The Primeape shoved past them with a squeal and leaped at the man. The man spread his arms with a laugh and hugged the monkey tightly.

"You can't last a few hours without a fight can you?" he said with a smirk. The monkey squeaked indignantly making the man laugh again. "So, did she get you in some trouble?" the man asked.

"No, uh, she actually saved us," Ash admitted a bit sheepishly.

"Did she?" he asked with playful skepticism. The man made a show of looking between the monkey and Ash's team and tapping his chin. Tiny shrieked and tugged on her trainer's hair harshly. "Okay! You saved 'em!" the giant cried. Ash stared at the duo. He wasn't sure what to make of them.

"We're gonna go now," Ash said awkwardly. He backed away and directed his team to do the same with gentle nudges.

"Wait! Please tell me your name!" the man called.

"Tell me yours!" Ash yelled back annoyed.

"I'm Bruno of Pewter!" he said striding to him. Ash stiffened and turned slowly.

"Elite-Four Bruno," the raven-haired boy choked. A giant tanned martial artist that walked around without a shirt. How had he not seen it?

"That's me, who are you?" he said extending a hand to shake.

"Ash," the boy said breathlessly. Bulbasaur and Krabby stared at him as though he'd just committed murder. Gore just snorted and flopped onto his side. The swine had seen this side of his brother countless times.

"Great to meet you Ash! I hope Tiny didn't give you too much trouble," Bruno said grabbing his hand and then shaking his hand vigorously.

"She didn't," Ash said dazedly. Bruno had shaken his hand. One of the most powerful men in the world and one of the greatest heroes of the last century had shaken his hand. "Make me your apprentice!" he blurted.

"Okay," the man said nodding.

"I promise to train day and to prove myself worthy of you-", Ash blinked. "Huh?" he squeaked. In the back of his mind, the boy was slightly disgusted with himself. The majority was too overjoyed to care. "Really?"

"Well, actually, I would but I'm busy right now," Bruno said sheepishly.

"Oh," he mumbled his heart sinking, "Well, it was nice to meet you then," Ash finished with an insincere smile. The brown-eyed boy turned away but Bruno grabbed his arm gently before he could get far. Gore sprang up immediately and snarled at the giant man. Tiny snarled at the swine that pawed the ground in return. "It's okay!" Ash snapped when Krabby tried to step in front of him.

"Rather protective aren't they," Bruno said chuckling. The fighting-type master released him and backed away slowly. "I apologize for getting your hopes up, but I can help your training," he said rubbing the Primeape in soothing circles.

"Really?" Ash asked cautiously. Against his will, he felt something warm rise in his chest at the possibility.

"You were attacked by Vulpix while training weren't you?" the martial-artist asked as he walked to a small tree to Ash's left.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" the boy asked in a daze. The man knelt and lifted something with reddish brown fur.

"Because of this," Bruno said holding out an unconscious Vulpix. Ash took it hesitantly, ignoring his team's growls and hisses. The two-tailed vixen was slightly heavier than Bulbasaur and ten inches tall. Less than half the size of most Vulpix, the boy noted. "You shouldn't train with destructive attacks in the wilderness" the man lectured seriously, "until you're stronger anyway," he added.

"Then how am I supposed to train?" Ash demanded. "Sir," he added with a wince.

"There are plenty of techniques you can practice while you move," the master said simply, "And it's actually better to get the Pokémon used to using their moves on the move."

"Right," Ash said pulling the bill of his hat to cover his eyes. He was certain his grandfather had told him something similar at one point. He had been so caught up in finally leaving home he forgot the basics.

"Nothing to be ashamed of young man! At least you're actually training," Bruno said with a warm smile. "More than can be said of most this generation," the man mumbled to himself. Tiny tugged on her trainer's hair gently and squeaked. "Titan and Ever are probably worried out of their mind," Bruno muttered. "I hope to meet you again Ash!" The man called over his shoulder.

"Bye!" Ash called back. He turned to his team and noticed his newest members staring at him oddly. "Err- time to go!"

Xxxxxxxxxx

Unsurprisingly, the desert was a miserable place. They had been walking for seventeen days and only come across a mother Sandslash and her children. That had not been a pleasant experience, Ash reflected with a wince. Poor Gore and Krabby were still limping and Bulbasaur insisted on being carried for the rest of the day. Hard to blame her when even I didn't get out of that situation unharmed, he reflected rubbing the bandage on his forehead absently. The trainer laid his head onto his pillow with a relieved sigh.

The only member of the team that would have enjoyed the weather had woken only long enough to eat and drink. Ash wasn't sure if the vixen was even aware of her actions. Probably for the best that she would not remember, the team wasn't being particularly friendly. Krabby stared at her with open suspicion and Gore tried charging every chance he had. To his surprise, even Bulbasaur didn't like the vixen. Though it shouldn't have after the vixen's former pack had tried to eat her. She hid behind him and glared every time the vixen woke.

Ash frowned at the sleeping vixen. At times, he felt as though his Pokemon sensed something about her he couldn't. She was shy and at times winced when he patted her, but was affectionate enough. Then again, the Pokedex entry did say Vulpix could be extremely difficult to raise and were known to hold horrible grudges. Was it possible the vixen blamed them for her beating? His frown deepened at the thought. He didn't like being suspicious of his own Pokemon, especially when they hadn't done anything to deserve it, but for now he should keep a close eye on fire-type.

At least their training was going well. As Ash predicted, Gore had managed to form a tiny Ice Shard on his first try. The only problem was that the only ice the boar could use came from his own body. The desert was so dry that drawing water out of the air was impossible for the inexperienced boar. Ash would have preferred practicing Mud Bomb but if the, Pokedex was right, it would be a waste of their time.

Every species had their specialty, but something less known was those specialties varied from where the Pokemon lived to the individual themselves. Gore, who had been born on the first day of winter and lived the majority of his life away from the mountains would be an ice oriented Swinub without a doubt. Slightly inconvenient at the moment, but it would pay off when they fought Erika.

The trainer glanced at the youngest members of his team. Bulbasaur's Energy Ball was coming along as well as could be expected. She probably wouldn't be able to make any progress in the desert, the raven-haired boy knew. Krabby was showing the most improvement. His Vice Grip was a move he had a firm hold on before they'd entered the desert, so Ash wasn't surprised by his progress.

The question is what next, the tired boy wondered as he yawned. It turned out the nubs he had felt were the signs Krabby was nearly ready for evolution as well. Ash was elated with the news, but it did throw his training schedule off. Harden wasn't a move that would be of any worth for a Kingler after all. Guess it's just more offense, he thought with a shrug.

Ash yawned again, this time much louder. _I can plan in the morning._

xxxxxxx

Something small slamming into his belly jolted Ash into consciousness. Bulbasaur hissed urgently and nudged his hand urgently. The boy groaned and rolled over, "Go to sleep!" He groaned. She wailed and nudged his hand more insistently. "Alright, I'm up! I'm up!" He said annoyed as he exited his tent. The trainer yawned and looked around the campsite with bleary eyes. Everything seemed perfectly normal. The fire was crackling, the boys and Vulpix were gone, and the tree near the camp was on fire.

Wait a minute, he thought snapping his head to where the team should have been resting. The cow warbled worriedly before dashing to his right with speed he wouldn't have believed a Bulbasaur could possess a couple months ago. Ash cursed and took off after her. He leaped over a small cactus and swerved around another. Finally, he found himself in an area with at least a hundred cacti.

Some of the cacti had been knocked over and others were burning with purple fire. Will-O-Wisp his tired mind supplied. Vulpix, he thought worriedly. Bulbasaur was staring into the cluster with apprehension. When Ash heard a familiar pained squeal, he understood why. Gore, Krabby and Vulpix were fighting something in the field. "Damn," he muttered. They would have to go through the cacti.

"C'mere," Ash told Bulbasaur kneeling. She hopped onto his shoulder quickly, immediately the trainer noted that the saurian's tiny form was taut with tension and her eyes were drooping. "It'll be okay," he said in a soothing voice. When she relaxed slightly and cooed the trainer turned back to the cacti. He needed to find a way to get through without being turned into a Sandslash's fur less cousin. Another squeal of agony made the boy flinch. He couldn't afford to find a safer path his team needed him. So, covering his Pokemon, the boy charged into the cluster of cacti.

Spines pierced his arm and his side but he continued doggedly. Luckily, he reached the end of the cluster quickly. Bulbasaur stared at his right arm with worry before crooning and nuzzling her trainer. "I'm okay, just a scratch," Ash muttered wincing. Mercifully, the spines were the type that didn't break off easily. As long as he cleaned himself off, he wouldn't get an infection.

More importantly, Gore, Krabby, and Vulpix were fighting beyond a hill about fifty yards from them, judging by the muffled barks. A weak gurgle to his right made the duo flinch. Ash sighed when he realized it was his water-type. The crab must have been trapped in the cacti cluster. "You okay?" the trainer asked, falling to a knee. To his relief, Krabby wasn't hurt; the water-type was simply exhausted. The boy shut his eyes tightly, he had overworked his friend to the point the crab could barely hiss. Now wasn't the time. "Rest in your ball and no training for the next couple days," Ash said sternly. For once, the crab was happy to rest.

Ash set Bulbasaur down gently, "You need to go in your ball too," he told her quietly. The cow gave a distressed warble and lowered herself to the ground. "I'm sorry," Ash said quietly recalling the dinosaur. She's probably going to hold this one against me, the boy thought with a wince. Maybe he should give her a treat tomorrow. He shook his head. It didn't matter, he needed to get to his other Pokemon. With that thought, the boy sprinted to the hill.

The trainer came to a stop behind the hill and gasped. His vision was beginning to blur again and his head felt as though Butterfree were flying in it. Maybe Krabby's not the only one who overdoes things, Ash thought dryly. Vulpix's hisses and Gore's snarls spurred the boy into action. He peered around the hill expecting a Donphan or another Sandslash. None of the classes he'd sat through or the books he had read prepared him for the sight that greeted his eyes.

His Vulpix slashed at one of Gore's legs with Scratch then darted away in a Quick Attack before the swine could respond. "Vulpix," Ash muttered, his heart sinking. She must have decided to rebel while he slept. No, he corrected shaking his head. This had been her plan from the moment she had woken. She ate their food, drank their precious water, used his potions, and acted as though she were willing to be a member of their team for over two weeks. She had used them and he had been too dumb to see it.

Hot fury bubbled in his chest and he gritted his teeth. Ash flinched when his oldest friend gave another pained squeal. The swine was surrounded by a thin circle of fire - Fire Spin, he realized - and Vulpix was peppering him with tiny balls of flame when he tried to move. "Do a spin and Mud Slap!" Ash barked. Gore whined and spewed a small stream of snowy wind at the fire-type.

Ash gaped, what was wrong with him? "Gore, you need to use mud!" He cried. The stubborn Swinub ignored his trainer and shot another stream of snow at his opponent. Vulpix shot a tiny purple ball of flame that tore through Gore's attack with ease and hit the swine's nose. The boar recoiled with a squeal and backed into the Fire Spin. He wailed and dragged himself back into the middle of the circle. The swine growled weakly before his legs failed him. Ash paled, "Vulpix, stop right now!"

She gave him a condescending look and sauntered toward him. "What are you doing?" he asked shakily taking a step back. The vixen opened her mouth slightly and then the ghostly flame of Will-O-Wisp formed in her maw. Ash swallowed harshly, his legs frozen, and his heart pounding so loudly he could hear it.

Something small and clear crashed into Vulpix's side eliciting a pained yelp and sending her tumbling away from him. Ash blinked blankly, uncomprehending. A furious roar and then a brown and white blur raced toward the vixen. Vulpix rolled out of its path with a fearful yip. She scampered away when the blur charged her again. Finally, it came to a stop in front of the trainer. The raven-haired boy flinched again, then the intense glow began to fade, its white, giving way to a familiar deep brown.

"Gore," he breathed. His Pokemon bellowed his acknowledgement, coating the ground in frost and making the trainer shiver. Just like with Samurai, he realized. Vulpix was staring at the Swinub with trepidation, but stood her ground and snarled. Gore snarled back so fiercely that the vixen's cry seemed like a whimper in comparison.

"Powder Snow!" Ash ordered. The boar snorted, then blasted the fiercest gust of wind, he had ever created at the vixen. She squeaked and rolled away, only just avoiding the stream of wind. The vixen righted herself before rushing them with Quick Attack. Vulpix avoided the next two snowy streams with envious ease, hardly slowing in her charge.

"Mud Shot!" the trainer ordered with a wave of his hand. They had to restrict her movement; Gore couldn't compete with that kind of speed. She sped away from the attack easily, but this time the swine was ready. He discharged another Mud Shot sweeping the fire-type off her feet and lowering her body temperature. She rose on shaky legs before being hit by another glob of mud. "Stop it!" Ash commanded when the boar's body stiffened in preparation for a charge.

The swine glared and pushed past him. "Just this once, listen to me!" the boy pleaded stepping in front of his Swinub. "She's still a member of the herd," Ash stated peering into his closest friend's brown eyes. The reminder gave Gore pause. He glared at the whimpering fire-type, and for a moment, Ash was afraid the boar was going to kill her. Then he slumped and hobbled back a few steps. The ice-type jerked his head toward Vulpix and sat on his haunches.

"Are you hurt?" the trainer asked, wiping sweat from his brow. Gore grunted irritably and pointed to the fire-type with his hoof. Ash nodded with a sigh. He approached the vixen carefully, if she were cunning enough to bide her time for so long, then pretending to be helpless would be up her alley he -figured. Ash lowered himself next to the Pokemon slowly. She glared, but was too exhausted to put up any more of a fight.

The trainer drew a potion from one of his pockets slowly and allowed her to see it. Vulpix squirmed and whimpered when the medicine made contact. Usually seeing one of the team uncomfortable would have distressed Ash but he found he didn't pity the vixen even slightly. He shivered when a slight chill began to emanate from behind him. "I'm okay, buddy!"

Ash and Vulpix shivered as the cold deepened. The trainer cradled the fire-type to his chest - the only way he was sure Gore wouldn't attack her - and turned toward the boar slowly. His friend's form was hunched and he was panting rapidly. His brown eyes were unseeing and his every exhale released small bursts of ice.

The swine reared back with a snarl and spat a freezing gust of wind. Ice formed beneath his hooves and crept up his body. Gore roared and the ice and mud he had discharged raced back to its master. It clung to the boar and for a moment, the world around Ash stilled. Then his friend's upper body descended.

Ash stared awed, at his friend. Gore stood at least two feet taller and more than twice as wide. His shaggy fur now covered his short legs and nearly obscured his narrow brown eyes from view. The boar's tusk were no longer tiny, likely six inches long in fact, and his lower canines jutted out from his jaw impressively. Ash grinned widely.

His friend was a Piloswine now.

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If you have any pokemon you think are cool or underutilized please share it with me! I can't say they'll be on Ash's team but I will try my best to give them a chance to shine.


	3. Chapter 3

I own nothing please support the official release.

A recommended story would be Pokeball by D.C. Hours. A story that starts in Hoenn, and has a different starter.

Thank you all for your support!

Episode 3: A brief ride in the desert

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"This is a lot more fun than jogging!" Ash said with a grin. Bulbasaur whimpered from his lap in agreement. Now that Gore had evolved, they could cover a day's worth of travel in a few hours, and they didn't have to worry about Sandslash trying to attack them. At this rate, the team would reach Celadon in about three days. Even so, the trainer knew he still needed to be careful to keep his team hydrated. "How you doing back there Krabby?" Ash shouted over his shoulder.

The crab hissed irritably and waved his claws. Ash smiled at the proud water-type. Krabby had been furious with his trainer when he was told he couldn't train, so they compromised. The crab Pokemon wasn't allowed to use any moves, but he could run with Gore until Ash recalled him. The water-type's efforts had even inspired Ash and Bulbasaur to run with him. _Didn't last very long though_.

The trainer snorted at the thought, his Pokemon weren't the only ones who needed training, it seemed. Ash rubbed Bulbasaur's bulb in soothing circles as he thought. _First thing we need to do is head by the department store. We ought to be able to afford a TM at this point. Then we'll hit the training ground,_ the boy and dinosaur were thrown forward when Gore came to an abrupt stop.

"You okay?" Ash asked with a groan. _I really need to talk to him about stopping._ Bulbasaur licked his cheek, then wiggled out of his grip. He blinked when she moved in front of him and squared herself.

"You there! State your trainer identification number and your purpose right now!" A feminine voice demanded. Gore snarled at the girl and Bulbasaur pawed the ground. Ash placed a hand on Gore's head and the saurian's bulb as he lifted himself to his knees. The girl looked to be closer to Daisy's age than his and had red hair tied into a ponytail on the side of her head. Even scowling the boy found her pretty, but what truly caught his attention was the Pokemon next to her.

The Pokémon was a tall, pink, and bipedal creature with a spiky gray shell on its tail and a dopey smile on its face. It was a Slowbro, a water-type Pokemon with powerful Psychic abilities and decent physical strength. It was taller than its trainer and the small scars on its hide hinted at its experience.

"What if I refuse to obey?" Ash challenged. Krabby strode up to him and waved his claws threateningly.

"Then I'll make you!" she snarled. The Slowbro moved in front of its master and spread its arms wide. "Wait a minute! Is that a Krabby?" the girl asked with a grin.

"Yeah," Ash answered uncertainly. The trainer wasn't sure of what to make of her sudden change in demeanor. Bulbasaur and Gore eyed her as though she were insane. Krabby looked too tired to care.

"He's beautiful!" she cried, running to them. Bulbasaur moved behind his legs and Ash grabbed Gore by his ear when he growled at the approaching girl. Krabby held his right pincer up, and stood in what he likely believed to be a regal manner. The redhead cooed over the preening crab and rubbed his shell. She paused, then turned to him as though she had just remembered he was there. "So, who are you?"

"Ash," he answered slowly. "Who are you?" He demanded.

"Misty Waterflower," she said still rubbing Krabby.

"Waterflower," he repeated. "Are you the gym leader of Cerulean?" _Why would a gym leader be so far away from her gym? It is still technically in her district, but I can't imagine she's here for fun._

"Yeah," Misty said still more interested in the crab than the raven-haired trainer.

"I challenge you to a battle!" Ash said immediately.

"Two on two," the gym leader said with a grin.

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Ash did his best to ignore the knot in his belly. "You can do this," he whispered to himself. Gore stared at him blankly and grunted. "I mean, you can do it, Gore!" The boar snorted, satisfied, and turned back to his opponent. Sissy, the Slowbro waved at the swine happily.

"Getting cold feet?" Misty asked with a teasing grin.

"Of course not!" Ash snapped clenching his fists. Krabby gave him a skeptical look and Bulbasaur looked at him worriedly. "I'm good," he promised quietly.

"Then make a move!" she said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Mud Slap!" the raven-haired trainer ordered with gritted teeth. Gore bellowed and spat a wave of mud at his opponent. Sissy erected a pink barrier that blocked the mud with ease. _And obscured your vision!_ "Icy Wind!"

"Psywave!" Misty ordered with a wave of her arm. The barrier shifted into a circle bigger than Krabby and shot toward Gore with astonishing speed. The psychic attack sent the boar tumbling back to his trainer. Ash flinched; _I thought Psywave was a basic attack?_ "Water Pulse!" the redhead cried.

"Get up! Icy Wind!" Ash told the swine urgently. Gore had only just regained his footing when the large orb of water smashed into him. Sissy waved her flabby arm and the orb dispersed. She waved her arm again and the water surrounded the downed Piloswine. Then she clenched her fist and the water became an orb again, this time with Gore in it. _He'll drown!_ Gore flailed and spat ice into the rippling orb in his desperation.

"Game over," Misty declared with a hand on her hip, "Bring out your next Pokemon!" Ash moved reluctantly to recall the ice-type when the orb froze completely. He smirked and Bulbasaur cheered as a hoof popped out of the prison. Another hoof, then the orb exploded and a Piloswine emerged. Gore snarled and the chunks of ice levitated.

 _Manipulating ice and snow that he created to attack, that's Avalanche! He must have unlocked the ability when he evolved._ He grinned ferally at Sissy's nervous expression and Misty's frown. The Piloswine roared and the chunks of ice flew toward the water-type.

"Reflect!" Misty commanded urgently. A far thicker pink barrier materialized in front of Sissy. The ice neared the anxious Slowbro then fell at her feet. Sissy blinked. Ash blinked. Misty grinned, "Psywave!"

The trainer winced as Gore was thrown into a boulder. Krabby moved in front of Ash and waved his claws with a hiss. "I give up!" Ash cried frantically picking Krabby up. _If that happened to Gore, then Krabby could be killed!_ He turned to the downed ice-type with a grimace. Bulbasaur was trying to help the boar to his feet with gentle nudges, but Gore still couldn't stand. The swine glared coldly at something behind his trainer.

"Was a good fight," Misty said with a smile, offering him a hand. "Especially since he's been in the desert so long."

 _How'd she know I've been out here a while?_ "Yeah, a good fight," Ash muttered, shaking her hand. He ignored the burning in his chest and made his expression as friendly as possible. Which, if he were honest, wasn't very far from hostility. Gore and Krabby weren't the only ones who hated to lose.

"Come and challenge me in a few months," She ordered, "By then Krabby should have evolved so, we'll have a good fight," she finished stroking her chin thoughtfully.

"Wait, what?" the raven-haired boy asked, glancing at the crab in his arms. Krabby was still waving his right claw menacingly at Sissy. He lowered his claw immediately and gave his trainer an innocent look when Ash scowled.

"Yeah," Misty said, reaching out to rub Krabby, "See these little nubs? They're going to become his crown, and he's already favoring his right claw," she finished. It made Ash a bit proud when the crab didn't remove Misty's hand from her wrist. _Earlier wasn't a fluke then._ He rolled his eyes. _It's kind of sad that this is progress._

"Anyway!" she said, rising and clearing her throat, "We should get your Gore to camp and get him healed up," the leader told him gesturing for him to follow her. Ash recalled his oldest friend and set Krabby down. Bulbasaur crooned and trotted up to him.

"He's gonna be okay," he assured her quietly as they followed the gym leader. To his pleasant surprise, even Krabby looked worried. Even if he was only mildly concerned, it was still a good sign for a creature that had spent the majority of his life in isolation.

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"He's a bit, rowdy," Ash told the doctor as he handed him Gore's Pokeball.

"I'm sure we can handle it," Doctor Proctor told him with a snort. Ash shook his head; the doctor didn't have a clue what he was in for with the Piloswine. The trainer shrugged, the man had been warned. The rangers in the corner could attest to that if Gore did anything unfortunate. He winced when the glaring sun greeted his eyes. _I was only in there for a couple minutes!_

Bulbasaur trilled and nudged him with her leg. Ash sighed and lifted the saurian onto his head. _At least she's enjoying herself._ She was probably the only member of the team that actually enjoyed being in the desert at noon. At least as long as she had plenty of water breaks. With the grass-type settled Ash set off in search of a place to train.

He nodded and waved to the passing archaeologists as he strode through their camp. Finding a major dig site, that was hiring any passing trainer as a guard. Each trainer would be paid with a TM, and provisions for their journeys. They would have free food and water for as long as they were in the camp, and he could train without worrying about a herd of Nidos trying to make Gore a ham dinner, with Bulbasaur as their salad.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

"Krabby, I want you to use Water Gun on Bulbasaur," Ash declared. Bulbasaur turned to him with a look of utter betrayal. Krabby blinked, then gurgled and shot a concentrated stream of water at the cow. She squeaked and dashed away from the crab as though her life were in danger. Judging by Krabby's look of determination, she wasn't wrong.

 _I wonder whether him obeying so quickly is a good sign or not?_ Ash shrugged, he would just have to keep an eye on them while he plotted the rest of their training out. He also needed to deal with a stubborn fire-type. Bulbasaur wailed, when a Water Gun nearly pierced her left ear. "Let up on the power!" Ash shouted as he lowered himself onto a large rock.

The trainer flipped his Pokedex open when he was certain the crab had weakened his blasts. _Good thing there's a doctor so close._ Information on the Bulbasaur line was a bit scarce, and he knew a good deal about the Swinub line, so he decided to focus on Krabby. In many ways, the Krabby line was the opposite of the Horsea family, and their relatives. They relied on physical might, and took longer to learn the long-range moves that made most water-types formidable.

The Bubble attacks relied more on power than any skill, so the close ranged Krabby line could use them efficiently. Then, the best thing to do would be to keep working on his accuracy until he evolved. Ash sighed; a concentrated Bubble attack would be a waste of time when Water Gun could be used efficiently. He wished the Pokedex had mentioned this earlier in the Krabby entry. _If nothing else, his destructive power grew in Pewter._

Like Powder Snow and Icy wind, the only difference between Bubble and Bubblebeam was the amount of power behind the attack. Now that he thought about it, Tackle and Take Down were the same way. Krabby was plenty tough, but they couldn't bulldoze through the gym circuit, as Misty had proven when she defeated their strongest with ease. Which meant focusing on Metal Claw could be a horrible mistake.

He rose quickly, decision made. "Alright guys, come back!" the trainer called. Bulbasaur sprinted to him, glancing over her shoulder as though Krabby would attack her back. Ash couldn't entirely blame her, after what they had been doing for the past fifteen minutes. She gave him an angry look and then jumped when Krabby clicked from behind her. The saurian warbled and ran behind Ash's legs. "It's okay, the session is over!" Bulbasaur gave him a doubtful look and eyed Krabby suspiciously.

The trainer tugged on the bill of his hat, next time he would have to explain what was happening before having Krabby attack her. "Bulbasaur take a break," he told his tired Pokemon. _Amazing how much exercise one gets when they think their life is in danger._ Once Bulbasaur had climbed onto the boulder Ash had been on to sunbathe the boy turned to his Krabby. "We're gonna learn Water Pulse," he stated.

The crab clicked his understanding. Ash glanced away and bit his lip. _How do I explain this move?_ "Basically, you need to make an orb of water that pulses continuously," the raven-haired trainer said awkwardly. The crab stared at him unblinkingly. Ash flushed, "Try and picture a whirlpool," he mumbled.

The crab gurgled and focused on his right claw. Nearly immediately, an orb of water about the size of an orange appeared above it. It rippled, then fell to the earth. Krabby hissed irritably and took his stance again. His next three attempts were met with the same degree of success. "Looks like it's not so easy to maintain the shape and keep it moving," the brown-eyed boy murmured stroking his chin thoughtfully.

Krabby hissed and glared at him. "Yeah, should've been obvious," Ash admitted with a sheepish smile. "Anyway," he said, clearing his throat, "Try, and make it tiny," the trainer suggested. The crab blinked uncomprehending his plan. "You have to work on maintaining the orb's shape, and maintaining it is different than anything you've ever done before, so start small," Ash lectured.

At least that was what his grandfather had told him about teaching a Pokémon a new move. He had seen Daisy and Oak train Pokemon before, and had observed that they usually tried to start small when the technique was foreign to the Pokemon. Teaching was far more difficult than it looked. _No wonder teachers make so much money._ "So you know what you need to do right?" Ash asked. Krabby gurgled and turned his attention back to his claw.

Ash smiled at his Pokemon then turned to Bulbasaur. He blinked, the saurian had fallen asleep sunbathing. Thinking about it, it wasn't surprising. Factoring in her age and that she had been exposed to the desert more than the boys combined she had done well. _She'll be happy when she can go back to having naps every day._ Ash smiled at her peaceful expression. It couldn't hurt to let her have a day off.

It was probably for the best that she was asleep. Something told him she wouldn't be happy to see Vulpix. He paused; she might enjoy seeing Vulpix as hurt as she was though. Ash released the vixen with a shake of his head. It didn't say anything positive about the fire-type that he was the only one that still wanted her to be a member of the team. Especially since, she had been with them for more than half a month.

Vulpix snarled at Ash and spat a weak flame at his face. He blew it out with a casual huff. She growled and made to charge him, then she swayed and her legs gave out. Even after staying in her Pokeball for a few hours, the beating Gore had given her rendered her weaker than a newborn Vulpix. Ash knelt and took out his 'pocket potion'. The vixen's wounds were mostly healed, but it could not hurt the healing process to give her another portion.

She would probably be tired for another day though. Her body temperature had been lowered a great deal by Gore's mud after all. A Piloswine's mud could be made rather chilly if he wished for it to be. _Wouldn't hurt to take her by the doctor later._

"I defeated you," Ash declared peering into the vixen's golden eyes. Vulpix hissed defiantly and swiped at his chest with a glowing paw. _Scratch_! The trainer hissed and pinned the vixen to the ground by her neck. "I've got this," Ash told Krabby when the crab hissed. He turned and gave the crab a reassuring grin, doing his best to keep the pain off his face.

The water-type wavered, torn between glaring at Vulpix and trusting his trainer. His trust in Ash won as he turned his back on the two. _Several yards closer to us, though._ "You had every advantage and yet, you still couldn't kill me," Ash continued. The vixen glared hatefully, too exhausted to do anything else.

Ash sighed; it looked like she wouldn't be changing her mind anytime soon. "I'll let you out when it's time to eat," he told her. "Oh, and one more thing," the trainer added, "I'm not gonna give up on you," Ash finished staring down at her with a hard gaze. Vulpix's eyes widened in shock, then, narrowed as if he had said something indecorous.

The trainer recalled her and rose. He needed to get back to Krabby.

XXXxxxxx

Ash groaned when his head hit the pillow. Krabby echoed his relief with a hiss, as he settled on his mat. They had made decent progress for a day's work. _Doesn't feel like it._ He covered his eyes with his hat and sighed. Had they really made any progress? Misty had beaten their strongest effortlessly, and Cerulean wasn't even one of the harder gyms.

In fact, Surge of Vermillion and Aya of Fuschia were rumored to be far more difficult. The Cinnabar gym leader would likely do to Misty what she had done to him. He gritted his teeth so hard his jaw ached. _How can we beat them? We're just kids! Bulbasaur is still a damn toddler!_

When the other kids were playing video games, Ash had been studying, when they were sleeping in, he was up and feeding the Pokemon on the corral with his grandfather. He had given up the chance to make friends to take care for an infant Gore. Ash had abandoned his childhood, so he could start his journey early. _And for what?_

A worried gurgle drew his attention to the right. He rolled to his right slowly - careful not to disturb Bulbasaur as he did. Krabby gazed at him with worry. "I'm okay," Ash whispered. The crab narrowed his eyes skeptically. The trainer averted his eyes uncertainly. "I don't wanna worry you," he said in the same tone. Ash flinched when a weak Water Gun hit his face.

"Does it ever feel like we aren't getting anywhere?" the boy asked. Krabby stared at him evenly. "What I mean is, I've been learning since I was five, and haven't gotten anywhere!" he blurted loudly. The crab flinched at his outburst. "You've been trying to be a Kingler for a while too, right?" Krabby gurgled quietly in what Ash knew to be agreed.

"What do we have to show for it? Any trainer could take us out!" He said. The boy took a deep breath. The water-type lowered his claws and averted his eyes. "All we do is train and we're still so weak!" Ash continued. He rolled back over and covered his eyes with his hat. "What's the point?"

The bed creaked and dipped, but the boy ignored it. Ash couldn't bring himself to face his Pokemon right now. A soft gurgle, then he stiffened, when the Krabby nestled into his chest next to Bulbasaur. The strain of the past eighteen days had finally settled in for the tiny saurian, she hadn't even twitched during Ash's outburst. The trainer hugged them tentatively at first, then tighter when they only snuggled deeper into his embrace.

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	4. Chapter 4

I don't own Pokemon.

Friendly Advice

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Ash yawned and stretched as he woke. He narrowed his eyes, something was missing. _What?_ He shrugged and rolled out of bed. He could figure it out later, for now he needed to get dressed. "You ready to eat?" the trainer asked his team expecting the usual enthusiastic grunts and snorts. He blinked when he received none. _That's right, he had to stay with the doc._ Doctor Proctor had wanted to make sure that Gore's evolution hadn't hurt him. "Guys, you need to wake up!" Ash said, turning to his Pokemon.

His team was gone. "Krabby, Bulbasaur?" he called anxiously. His Pokemon didn't reply and worry began to gnaw at the boy's stomach. Ash glanced around the tent frantically. _Were they stolen?_ He took a deep breath; he had to keep a cool head. Panicking wouldn't help him find his team.

 _They're probably just sunbathing._ In spite of the logic in that thought, he exited his tent quickly. Ash smiled in relief when he spotted Bulbasaur sunbathing a few yards from the tent. Krabby was sitting in the shade of a large cactus with his white arms crossed over his chest. To Ash, it almost looked as though the crab were meditating.

"Let's go get some breakfast!" Ash called over his shoulder. Predictably, Bulbasaur scurried after him with a happy squeak. Krabby clicked respectfully and followed him at a far more sedated pace. "But no berries for Bulbasaur!" he sang. She mewled and looked at him as though he were evil manifested. "I'm kidding!" the trainer laughed. Ash grinned when the saurian sent him a growl.

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Ash and his Pokemon peered into the makeshift cafeteria uncertainly. Every trainer had released their team, and they all seemed bigger and stronger than his. Size didn't determine who won a fight, but it definitely helped. Among the Pokemon were, Growlithe, Houndour, Sandslash, Poliwhirl, Graveler, and Raticate. He had never thought he would be so grateful for Gore to be with a doctor. The swine's reaction to a Feraligatr, Tangrowth, and Nidoqueen individually would likely be attempted murder. All three in the same place, and he might fall into a blood rage. He shuddered at the thought of his oldest friend seeing them, and a slew of other Pokemon at the same time. Gore would definitely need to be fed away from the camp. Ash was a bit ashamed to admit it, but seeing others roughly his age just as uncomfortable as he was comforted him.

 _Feraligatr's Misty's for sure. Tangrowth and Nidoqueen belong to that girl. I can't believe Misty brought a monster like this to guard archeologists. Maybe there's an angry Rhyperior or bull Donphan around?_

The boy spotted a deserted table, and directed Krabby toward it. Bulbasaur had long since climbed onto the boy's shoulder. "No," Ash whispered sharply when the crab turned to a Sandslash with a glare. The trainer nudged him and rubbed Bulbasaur in soothing circles. Coming here with them had been a mistake, Ash realized.

He should have gotten the food alone and gone back to the tent with it. _Too late now_. The trainer wouldn't and couldn't be seen running out of the situation like a young Nidoran. His pride wouldn't allow it, and judging by Krabby's rigid posture, he wasn't alone. "Stay here, and do not pick any fights!" he ordered when they reached the table.

Ash turned before Krabby could protest, but was stopped by a vine grabbing his wrist. Bulbasaur was eyeing the older Pokemon as though she expected them to attack at a moment's notice. "You can do this," Ash told her firmly, untangling himself from her vine. The trainer made for the food before his resolve shattered. The saurian needed to get used to being in large groups if she was to compete in the conference.

 _I am definitely going to need to wake up earlier tomorrow_. The majority of the meat was gone, and the fruit wasn't much better. Neither of his girls would be thrilled with the news. Hopefully, the doctor was wise enough to set food aside for his patients. Otherwise, Gore might rebel. Ash snorted, he was grateful the swine's appetite wasn't his problem now.

Ash headed back to the table with a stuffed plate and licking his lips. Sausage, pancakes, blueberries, and strawberries, he loved archaeologists. "Check it out!" the trainer told his Pokemon with a grin. Krabby gurgled and gazed at the plate, as though it held the truth of the universe.

Bulbasaur was nowhere to be seen. He blinked and shook his head. She was still gone. "Krabby where is -", he cut off his question when he realized the crab was digging into the food. Ash sighed and knelt. Bulbasaur was shaking beneath his chair, and covering her eyes with her legs as though creating a shield against the world. _Being in a Haunter's grip couldn't hurt this much._ "C'mere," he said, beckoning her to him. She crawled out from her hiding place after a moment.

The saurian moved slowly at first, but leaped at him, his arms when he spread his arms. "It's okay, I-I'm sorry," he said swallowing harshly. "We're gonna eat out," Ash told Krabby lifting the plate. The crab clicked and eyed him with confusion. He blinked; staring at Bulbasaur's shivering form, uncomprehending. "Just come on!" he barked. The crab flinched, and Bulbasaur's shaking increased.

"It's okay," Ash said quietly. He rubbed his Pokemon's bulb in soothing circles, attempting to emulate how his mother comforted him when he had a nightmare as a child. Krabby clicked quietly, looking between him and Bulbasaur before jumping off the table. "I'm sorry, buddy," he told the water-type. The crab hissed at him annoyed, and gestured for Ash to follow him out of the tent.

xxxxxx

"Weather's way too good to be inside anyway!" Ash declared with a grin. If Bulbasaur heard him, she didn't acknowledge it. The trainer bit his lip; the cow wouldn't eat, and had barely responded to his calls. Her shaking had gone down significantly, but that was the only positive Ash could find.

 _I did this._ He gritted his teeth. Ash took several deep breaths. He needed to be calm or the situation would worsen. Krabby spat a weak burst of water at his knee and shuffled in place. Ash helped the crab onto the boulder he had made his seat. Krabby gurgled quietly, and poked the dinosaur with his claw. Krabby turned to him with an odd glint in his dark eyes, when she only burrowed her head into his lap deeper.

Ash shrugged, he wasn't much better than the crab at these things. At least, that was how it seemed to the boy. Bulbasaur belonged in a herd, something neither he nor Krabby could entirely relate to. "I know what'll make you feel better!" the trainer cried abruptly. He winced when she tensed. _I really need to work on this._ "Let's eat some sausage in front of Gore," he whispered conspiratorially.

Her ear twitched and a pink eye opened slightly. "And at dinner we'll eat all the barbecue in front of him!" Ash said with a grin. When Krabby clicked something with a mischievous glint in his eyes, her head rose. Bulbasaur licked Ash's cheek and wrapped her vines around his neck. The trainer's grin widened and he nuzzled her back.

"Ya know, it's a bit weird that this is what you guys do for fun," Misty's voice called from behind him. He stiffened and placed a hand on Krabby's claw. The last thing they needed was for the crab to pick a fight with a gym leader after all. To his surprise, Krabby wasn't making any aggressive movements and Bulbasaur had gone stiff in his lap.

Misty stepped in front of him and a shadow hovered over him. His eyes widened and he gasped when he recognized the beast. It was a Kingdra, the fully evolved form of Horsea and among the most powerful Pokemon that could be found in Kanto. Noble beasts regarded as paragons of honor and strength. They were the beloved guardians of Cerulean for centuries, and members of every Cerulean Champion that had ever been produced. And the Kingdra was staring right at them.

"Best Kingdra in the world," Misty boasted puffing her chest out proudly and grinning widely. Ash set Bulbasaur down gently and rose as though in a daze. He ran his hands along smooth, blue scales that had doubtlessly endured thousands of attacks. The seahorse's armor had a few small scars that only enhanced their beauty in the trainer's eyes. The golden scales on its belly shone in the sun and its ruby eyes were as hypnotizing as any Hypno's pendulum.

"Sorry," the brown-eyed boy murmured, still admiring the beast.

"It's cool," the gym leader shrugged as she sat on the boulder, "But, I'm here for a reason, and I'm hungry," she finished inching closer to Krabby.

"For a reason?" Ash asked his tone absent.

"Training," she stated still inching closer to the stupefied crab. Ash blinked and then turned toward the redhead quickly.

"For Krabby?" he asked with a grin. Ash chuckled awkwardly when Misty and Krabby sent him deadpan stares. "Shoulda been obvious," he muttered, rubbing the back of his head.

"Anyway," Misty said, rolling her eyes, "Do ya want help?"

"Yes!" the boy blurted. His face flushed, and he covered his eyes with his hat when the redhead snickered.

"Water-types and ice-types aren't that different, and can usually learn one the other type's techniques easily," the leader stated her hand moving closer to Krabby stealthily.

"So Krabby can learn Ice Shard," the raven-haired trainer said with a grin.

"I doubt it. He can learn cooling moves, but probably not ice manipulating attacks," Misty said, rubbing Krabby on the nubs that would become his crown. When Ash's brow furrowed, she continued, "Basically, techniques like Icy Wind and Ice Beam, instead of stuff like Ice Shard," she finished.

"I've seen a water-type manipulate ice, though," Ash said with a blink. Wave's ice manipulation was far more impressive than even Lorelei's Lapras'. At least, from what he had seen of the woman's Lapras.

"Wave's is actually a combination move, instead of regular ice," the redhead said matter-of-fact still focused on Krabby. "And he's really not the best to be comparing a Pokemon too," she added.

"You know who I am," the boy said his back stiff. _How did she?_

"Daisy told me," Misty said trying to lift the crab onto her lap. The water-type tensed, but allowed the gym leader to lift him.

"Shoulda figured," Ash said, rolling his eyes. When Daisy participated in her last tournament, Ash and Gary had made a massive sign with her name on it. Ordinarily, this would not have been an issue, but their grandfather had confided in them that he would be having an interview after one of the rounds. The professor's interview had been displayed to millions, and they had waved their sign in the background the entire time. He wouldn't have put it past her to tell the gym leaders she knew not to take it easy on them.

In hindsight, that may have been a minor miscalculation on their part. This could also explain why his grandfather had been pushed into a hole by a psychic. At least, Oak, Pins, and Wave had enjoyed their prank. The Sky God knew his mother and Eia the Espeon had not. The Espeon had even vented her anger on poor, unsuspecting Gore. Ash shuddered at the memory. The sheer brutality the vixen displayed had been terrifying.

Not nearly as horrifying as Wave's reaction to that fight had been. It was on that day, he truly understood why the old Gyarados was so respected. As cold as the vixen could be, she didn't deserve Wave coming after her. "Are you okay?" Misty asked with a note of uncertainty. Bulbasaur, Krabby, and even the Kingdra looked concerned.

"Yeah," he chirped with a strained grin, "just remembered something weird," he finished his grin falling into a more sincere smile. Ash had seen the Pokemon of the corral battle hundreds of times, and had seen some fights end in the worst way, but that incident alone had been nightmare inducing.

"Anyway," Misty said with an awkward, "This is Hero!" she said pointing to the Kingdra. The beast snorted and held its head high when Ash turned to it. "He's my starter," she added with a fond smile. Ash nodded respectfully, and much to his pleasure, received one as well. _As expected of Cerulean's gym leader._

With a last, friendly pat Ash strode away from the levitating dragon-type and settled himself on a smaller boulder next to Misty's seat. Bulbasaur leaped onto the boy's lap the moment he sat, not giving him the chance to become comfortable. He frowned; Ash had done similar things to Oak and Delia in the past, but had never realized how annoying it must have been for them. _Maybe this is karma?_

He noticed that some of the berries had been nibbled at, and that a small portion of the half-eaten plate was now cleared. _Good she ate._ The trainer smiled and scratched Bulbasaur behind her ears eliciting a purr from the dinosaur. Her eating willingly was a good sign. Hopefully, the grass-type would feel well enough to train in a few minutes. Ash's stomach made its hunger known with a grumble.

"Skipped breakfast, eh?" Misty teased with a smirk and a snigger. Ash laughed and Hero snorted amusedly when the redhead's stomach grumbled its own displeasure. "Err- guess we should go get breakfast," she said with a stilted chuckle _._

xxxx

"I love being a gym leader!" Misty declared with a wide grin. The teenager licked her lips as she gazed at the wide assortment of food set before her. Ash agreed with a nod and a grin of his own. Logically, being what amounted to a queen should come with benefits. Apparently, one of them was having your food freshly cooked, long after breakfast had begun for everyone else. Misty and her team were given more food than they could possibly eat, and it was of a higher quality than what the volunteers were given as well.

 _If only Gore were here, he could die without any regrets._ The raven-haired trainer shook away the depressing thought. He would just have to hope the boar would forgive him for pigging out without him. Krabby hit him with a claw and hissed urgently, he shuffled in place and gazed at the array of food as though it were a work of the finest art.

Ash nodded and loaded a plate for himself and another for the crab. The crab's plate had only just hit the floor before the crab leaped upon it with a gleeful gurgle. Ash only just managed to draw his fingers out of range of the crab's assault. He was too hungry to be angry at the crustacean. The trainer inhaled his food, his pace nearly rivaling Misty's as he did, happily. He hadn't eaten this well since his mother had left to tour Hoenn, and its restaurants. The woman wouldn't let him eat at the diner when she wasn't around. He and Gore had gotten into the restaurant when she wasn't there once, and had devoured three days' worth of pizza.

When Delia had learned, she sicked her childhood friend on them. Acaya was an Arcanine that had been trained by his grandfather's team to protect the corral when they passed. She was also extraordinarily playful. The Arcanine had been truly ruthless in her pursuit of the trouble making duo. She had even gotten her pack involved, and had the Growlithe trap them. Then, she pinned Ash and Gore beneath her giant paws, and licked them for close to an hour. They had tried to fight the fire-type, but the canine's bulk had been too great for the young pair. _Completely worth it._

"So, about Krabby," Misty began between bites, "Kingler can't really use ice as easy as Kingdra, cause they were made for physical stuff, but he should be able to learn Powder Snow pretty easy, if you have him hang out with your Piloswine enough," she finished handing a sausage to an air headed looking Psyduck.

"You think Gore can teach him?" the raven-haired boy asked with a blink. He wasn't sure whether Gore understood how his moves worked or just went with his instincts. _Probably his instincts._

"No," she said with an indelicate snort, "Sorry, 'bout that," the leader said with a wince.

"We're cool," Ash said with a shrug. He was well aware of how most people saw Piloswine, and had accepted it, for the most part. That was probably because Gore didn't really subvert their claims about his intelligence. The boy shook his head; a day old, Swinub that tried to challenge a Gyarados to single combat, could never be considered a great intellectual. _Or even fully sane._

"If he watches Gore train enough, he'll figure it out," Misty told him, "But, that could take several months or even a year," she added thoughtfully as she handed the Psyduck another sausage.

"That long eh," Ash repeated with a slow exhale. When Gore had evolved, he thought the team would be ready to give Erika a good fight, but after facing Misty, he understood the swine couldn't carry their team.

"However, there is a way to make it faster," Misty told him quietly, gesturing for him to lean in closer. He did so with a thumping heart. _Is this how Cerulean stayed on top?_ "You have to-" she paused to take another slow bite of sausage, making Ash's eyebrow twitch in annoyance. "Give him an ice bath," the redhead finished with a dramatic wave of her arm.

"An ice bath?" the boy repeated uncomprehending. His confusion turned to anger quickly. _Does she think this is a damn joke?_ "How the hell is that supposed to help?" he asked, struggling to contain his fury.

"Gets him used to the sensation, see all water-types spit cold or lukewarm water so they really just need a nudge," the gym leader said unperturbed. "The best way would be to go somewhere really cold," she added, turning back to her hungry duck.

"Thanks a ton," Ash said with a relieved sigh, "I'll pay you back for this," he added quietly.

"Just give me a decent challenge, 'nd we're even!" Misty told him with a cocky smirk.

"I will," he swore with a smirk of his own.

xxxx

The swine whined sadly when he finished licking his plate. Doctor Proctor quickly placed another two plates in front of him. "Yes, yes, he should be completely fine! Just make sure to balance his diet, don't give him too much fiber, and make sure he gets plenty of protein!" the tanned man told him making shooing gestures. "Oh, and don't let him overheat!" he added as Ash led Gore away from the now empty plates and out of the doctor's tent.

The Piloswine squealed happily when he realized Ash had brought two more plates with him. "You can have one of these at the training ground!" the trainer said, giving his partner a firm look. Gore pouted and nudged his hand. "Keep it up and you won't get any!" Ash declared. The boy's back stiffened to the point of pain when his partner uttered a low growl. "Buddy?" he asked gulping as he turned.

Gore was glaring hatefully at a small Nidoqueen. The matriarch snarled back, displaying her impressive fangs and extending poisonous barbs beyond her blue armor. Ash paled, the Nido line were powerful predators and were known to hunt Swinub when the opportunity arose. "Stop it! Or no dinner!" he barked fighting down his instinctive unease. The Piloswine twitched, but otherwise ignored the trainer, his eyes intent on his natural enemy as he pawed the ground. "And no training!" That did the trick, the swine backed down with jerked movements, clearly displeased with letting the matriarch get away.

"You too Nida!" the girl a few years his senior cried, grabbing the poison-type's thick, armored arm. Nida blinked, and growled at Gore one last time, before striding away with her trainer. Ash sighed in relief, but placed his leg in front of his partner until the duo were out of sight. _Went better than I thought it would._ According to the Pokedex, male Piloswine were incredibly aggressive. The boy had chalked up Gore not charging Sissy being because he was tired from their travels.

He smiled; perhaps his boar was a bit special in more than just size. "Come on! We need to go before somebody takes our spot!" Ash declared with a smile. Gore grunted and nudged his leg playfully, the aggression he had displayed only moments ago vanishing as though it were a dream, and trotted in front of his trainer.

xxxx

"Everything's set guys!" Ash chirped setting the large pot of icy water down carefully, "Bulbasaur, and Gore you're gonna be training in accuracy!" he declared. Bulbasaur turned to him with a look of horror. "Not on you!" the trainer promised with a nervous chuckle. _Maybe I ought to have told Krabby to hold back a little more? Next time I'll have to be more careful._ With that thought in mind, the boy released his water-type. "I think I'll talk to Krabby first," the raven-haired trainer told Gore and Bulbasaur; much to the latter's evident relief.

"Krabby, there's a special training plan for today!" the trainer said with a grin as he lifted his Pokemon, "We'll start, by putting you in that!" Ash declared pointing to the pot. Krabby looked between the pot and Gore, and then began thrashing as though his life was in grave danger. "What's wrong with you?" Ash cried, struggling to keep the crab in his hands. Then, he tripped, sending the panicked water-type soaring through the air and into the pot.

Krabby's flailing increased when Gore trotted up to the pot. Ash groaned, _what's his problem? It's like he thinks he's gonna die!_ He blinked a crab, a pot, and a pig? The trainer face-palmed, _he thinks he's gonna be cooked!_ Ash stood with a grunt. "Gore back off!" he barked striding to the panicking crab.

"It's okay, buddy! See, he's backing off," Ash said, slowing in his approach. He reached out slowly, and when the crab didn't react negatively, he rubbed the crab's red shell soothingly. "All you have to do is hang out here and-" he paused, taking a moment to make he remembered the wording Misty used, "let the energy within the water resonate with your own energy!" he finished with a shaky grin.

Krabby had stopped listening to him the moment he paused, and sank into the cool water as deeply as he could. "I don't get any damn respect," the brown-eyed boy muttered. He sighed and turned back to his other Pokemon. Gore was looking between Ash and Krabby with his tilted to the side. Bulbasaur was staring at the water that had spilled, when Krabby had been thrown into the pot sadly. Ash could understand, spending over half a month traveling through a desert, had made the boy far more appreciative of the precious substance as well. He cleared his throat loudly, drawing his team's attention to him. The trainer drew Vulpix's Pokeball and watched his Pokemon reactions. As he expected, they were glaring at the capsule with tense forms. He released the vixen with a deep inhale. Vulpix glanced at Ash and huffed haughtily.

She stiffened and her ears fell when Gore made his presence known with a growl. She glared at the swine with a growl, who snorted back unimpressed. "None of that!" Ash snapped already feeling exasperated with the discord. Vulpix gave him a defiant glare that he met with an even stare. The trainer huffed and placed the remaining plate of food in front of the fire-type. "Behave or skip your meal," Ash stated looking at her out of the corner of his eye. "Watch her, but don't hurt her," he told Gore as he lifted Bulbasaur onto his shoulder.

He frowned at the tension in her form. _At least she isn't hiding from the vixen anymore_.

The boar ignored his partner's words and kept his eyes firmly trained upon the eating vixen. "I mean it. Do. Not. Hurt. Her. Right?" the trainer growled. Gore huffed, clearly unhappy with the command, but grunted his understanding nonetheless. Ash glanced over his shoulder as he strode away from his team. The trainer would have preferred watching Vulpix himself, but knew the technique they were going to practice was too dangerous to use around the others.

xxxx

"So, I'm pretty sure you know this, but Energy Ball is pretty much useless in the desert," he stated bluntly staring into Bulbasaur's pink eyes. She warbled sadly and lowered herself to the ground in response. "Not that it's your fault!" the trainer cried, waving his arms frantically. "We just need to work on something else for a while!" he finished with a weak smile. _There's no excuse for this!_ He raged internally clenching his fists.

A vine poked his forehead gently and snapped him out of his thoughts. Bulbasaur cooed, and wrapped her vine around his wrist squeezing lightly. "Don't worry 'bout it," he told her with a grin, "Anyway, we'll get back to Energy Ball as soon as we can," Ash said rubbing her head. She chirped and nuzzled his hand. Energy Ball is an important move to a grass-type, his grandfather had lectured, and drawing upon the forest is a part of their very essence. In hindsight, he should have asked for the old man's advice on water-types as well.

"So, the move we'll work on is one all poison-type Pokemon can use instinctively," Ash told his Pokemon in a didactic tone, "It's Acid," he finished. She tilted her head to the side with a coo. "All you have to do is picture your poison as a stream, and then shoot it," the trainer blurted with a wave of his arms. Bulbasaur blinked, and then closed her eyes with a look of deep concentration. Ash tensed with anticipation when the dinosaur opened her eyes.

Then, he scrambled away from her with a squawk, when she spat a tiny glob of poison. That attack could melt a Pokemon's hide; he didn't want to imagine what it would do to him. Bulbasaur trotted to him with a wail, and nuzzled his ankle. "It's okay!" Ash said with a laugh, "Let's just make sure I'm out of the way next time," he finished kneeling patting her head.

"I'm going to go take care of Gore," Ash told the cow, as he rose, "just come over when you need a water break!" the trainer added over his shoulder.

xxxx

Stop glaring at her," Ash said with a sigh. Gore grunted, and continued to glance back at Vulpix suspiciously every other step. The trainer rolled his eyes at the overprotective boar. _That incident with the Nidoqueen must have been a fluke._ Ash could more than understand the boar's reservations about the vixen, but he knew acting hostile would only exacerbate the situation. Vulpix had to be treated with the respect she felt she deserved, even if she didn't deserve any.

The trainer had explained that to his Piloswine, but the willful boar had been unmoved. Ash just hoped Vulpix did something to improve the ice-type's opinion of her soon. If she didn't, it was likely Gore would attack her again, regardless of Ash's pleas. The trainer bit his lip, _maybe Bulbasaur or Krabby approving of Vulpix will change Gore's mind?_ Gore bellowed and butted him lightly, nearly knocking the boy onto his side. He blinked, and glanced around him. They were at least twenty yards away from Krabby and Vulpix.

"We're gonna test out your new form," the trainer said, pointing to a boulder, "Ice Shard!" The boar growled, and then fired a chunk of ice the size of Ash's head at the stone. It shattered upon impact, sending shards of ice in every direction. "That's a lot quicker and stronger than before," the trainer said with a blink. Gore squealed and puffed his chest out, proud of his new strength. "Great job bud! Now let's try a Mud Shot! Ash cried with a wide grin.

Gore inhaled sharply, his chest expanding, and then discharged a large blob of mud at the boulder. Ash smirked when the top half of the boulder was covered with mud. With the pressure of fighting a gym leader away, he could fully appreciate his partner's new power. _Take Down should wait until Celadon. He's smaller than an adult, that doesn't mean his Icy Wind will be weaker though. Rainbow Badge, here I come!_ "Icy Wind," he commanded nearly hopping in place.

Gore squared himself, and breathed in deeply. He blasted the greatest gust of wind he had ever created with a roar, as fierce as a blizzard. The swine maintained the stream for several seconds, and then he sank to the earth with a gasp. Ash gaped - too shocked to do anything else - the boulder, and several feet around it, was completely covered in a thick layer of frost. He stared, then blinked, and then, ran to his partner with a grin.

"That was great, Gore!" Ash cried as he helped the boar friend to his feet. The swine snorted happily and licked his cheek. "Don't get mushy, or everyone back home will think you've gone soft!" the trainer said with a smirk. Gore grunted vigorously, and stamped his hooves several times in denial.

"They'll definitely think you're a total wimp," the raven-haired boy said with a sagely nod, "Especially, when I tell them you let Bulbasaur ride on your head!" the boy said thoughtfully, his smirk widening. The swine stared, at him wide-eyed with horror. "And about the Clefable," Ash finished with a baleful grin so wide that it split his face. Gore whined, and covered his eyes with his hooves. Ash guffawed at the distressed boar. _Never gonna get old._

He cried out in shock when Gore barreled into him, and slammed him to the ground. The boy groaned and made to rise. A satisfied snort was the only warning he received before Gore stepped onto his hand lightly. Ash glared at the swine, and was met with a large tongue in return. "Get off, you dumb pig!" the trainer cried, struggling mightily with his Pokemon.

Gore snorted, and continued his assault on the boy's face. "Okay, I'll just tell Mom and Acaya!" the trainer offered with a weak smile. The swine's eyes narrowed and his tongue developed a slight chill. "I give! I won't squeal!" Ash promised covering his face. "Just, no more licking!" the trainer pleaded gasping. Gore placed a hoof on Ash's chest and bellowed his victory. The boy groaned, and pushed the boar's hoof weakly. "Can we just get back to training?" Ash said when Gore remained in his victory pose for several seconds.

xxxx

"Calling it a night Krabby!" Ash called with a yawn. The crab Pokemon chirped from his pot, but stayed submerged in the icy water. The trainer sighed, he could more than appreciate the enthusiasm, but when the rest of one's teammates had already collapsed from exhaustion, it was time to stop for the day. Regrettably for the boy, that had been over three hours ago. Krabby considered training to be over when he could barely walk, and that just wasn't happening in the pot.

Ash reclined onto Gore with another yawn. He glanced to his right. Bulbasaur was still asleep, and didn't seem like she would be waking anytime soon. Even Vulpix was resting peacefully near his feet. Well, as peacefully as one could sleep, when a giant temperamental boar that wanted you dead slept mere feet away. He could empathize, having a sly vixen that wanted him dead so close to him, made him feel rather uncomfortable at times. That worry was mostly calmed with Gore's display of power though.

T _here aren't any strong Pokemon around, and the more time he spends in the water the better. And we are training really far from camp._ More importantly, Gore's fur was surprisingly soft, and his breathing was calming. The boy's eyes drooped, and he snuggled further into his friend's side.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Ash was woken (rather rudely in his opinion) to the sound of frenzied trumpeting, and a rumbling similar to his grandfather's jeep. He scowled and stood quickly. Too quickly, his head swam at the abrupt action, and he fell. A deep growl and a concerned coo met his ears as he was caught. A gentle nudge later and he was standing on shaky legs again. Gore grunted and glared past him. The ice-type seemed even angrier than his partner for being woken prematurely. Bulbasaur moved to stand next to him, her eyes drooping, her legs shaking, and uncharacteristic irritation coloring her features.

A bellow from Gore later, and Krabby surged out of his pot, furious and alert. The crab hissed a vexed acknowledgement to his team, and chirped furiously at an unresponsive Vulpix. Vulpix appeared asleep, but even sleep deprived, Ash could see the slight twitches in her form. Finally, the boy faced the source of the noise. A pair of Donphan (females judging by their tusk size) were fighting with a Lickitung, an Arbok, and a Weepinbell.

The trainer's eyes narrowed, only the Arbok belonged in the desert. _So why?_ Gore snarled so loudly that Ash grabbed his ear reflexively. When Gore grunted insistently, the trainer turned toward the source of his partner's duress. Three Sandslash were defending five small Sandshrew, and a Phanpy calf, from a Golbat, and several small, blue blurs. Zubat, he realized. Yards to their right, another Sandslash was fighting a losing battle against a Carnivine. A blue-haired man and a red-haired woman were barking orders furiously, while several other men and women unloaded themselves from three large black vans. Horror pooled in Ash's belly as he saw the large red R on the van's side.

Team Rocket.

xxxx

Thank you for reading!

I think I might be looking forward to introducing Acaya more than Ash's mom.


	5. Chapter 5

First encounter

 _Xxxxxxxxx_

 _What do I do?_ Ash wondered his gritting his teeth so hard his jaw ached. The adult ground-types had fallen quickly when the Rocket's backup had arrived, and the stronger Rocket's Pokemon were barely hurt. Even with his entire team he couldn't defeat an adult Donphan cleanly. _But, they were young Donphan._ The boy shook his head vigorously, and tightened his grip on Gore's ear. Even if the Donphan were only a couple years older than Vulpix, the cows would still have been too much for every member of the team, except maybe Gore.

 _But, if I leave them who knows what Team Rocket'll do?_ Team Rocket was the most powerful criminal organization in the world. They likely had hundreds of thousands of trainers that are more experienced than Ash, not one of them possesses an ounce of morality. The trainer didn't know exactly where the Rockets came from, only that they had been around since his grandfather had been a boy. For around fifty years they had ruled the underground and had even been strong enough to challenge the League ten years ago, albeit indirectly. During the four year war they killed thousands of people and Pokemon, and left hundreds families in mourning.

They had even managed to kill former Champion Agatha and Champion Karen, before Bruno defeated their leader. He shuddered, a cold hand seeming to grip his heart, at the thought of the Rockets attacking his family or the corral. Astonishingly, Pallet had been mostly untouched by the first war.

Gore grunted insistently and butted him lightly. Ash flinched and snapped his head to his partner, expecting to see a Rocket Pokemon attacking them. He glanced around the boulder they had made their hiding place. Gore and the others - including Vulpix to his shock - were staring beyond the Rockets. _What?_

Then, he saw it, a giant, black body rolling toward the Rockets with startling speed. The beast neared and the Rockets Pokemon finally noticed it. The criminal's Pokemon fired attack after attack at the surging titan, to no avail. The beast barreled through the van, sending the two hunks of metal skidding yards away from it. The Pokemon came to a stop in front of the large boulder they were hiding behind. Ash and his team barely noticed, too stunned by the Pokemon's display of power to be afraid of it being so near them.

Ash flinched as it uncurled itself. _That's right; Donphan females live in herds, headed by an experienced and powerful matriarch._ The matriarch had to have been six feet tall at her shoulder, and probably weighed over two tons. The trainer sighed in relief, if the matriarch was as powerful as Tiny or the Ninetales then they weren't necessary. His shoulders relaxed, and he hugged a still unmoving Gore to his chest with one arm.

Bulbasaur snapped out of her shock and leaped to his chest. Ash hugged the shivering saurian tightly. Krabby clicked uncertainly and moved behind his legs. The trainer flinched at the action. It wasn't the first time Krabby had been frightened, but he had never reacted so strongly. Vulpix was frozen and staring beyond the Donphan wide-eyed. When he had looked away, the criminals released a small, furious looking Nidoking. Gore stared at the patriarch blankly for a moment then he snarled. He tore himself out of the boy's grip and rushed around the boulder. Ash drew the boar's Pokeball faster than ever before and returned the boar before he could reveal their hiding place. The feisty swine wouldn't last a moment against a king. _How the hell do they even have a Nidoking?_

The Nidoking roared and charged the large Donphan, who met him without hesitation. Donphan overpowered the smaller Pokemon with ease and sent the poison-type skidding yards away from it. Donphan roared and rushed the downed male with her tusks lowered and her eyes narrowed. Nidoking rose quickly and scrambled out of her path. The monarch spat a large glob of poison at Donphan's back, making her roar in agony. Ash flinched at the volume of the cry. _We have to help._

 _At least we get to be the ones that look cool this time._ "We're gonna help her," he told his team. They stared at him wide-eyed as though he had lost all reason. "We've got to! They need us," the trainer said peering into their eyes. Krabby moved out from behind his legs and gurgled quietly. Ash grinned at the water-type and then looked at his girls hopefully. Bulbasaur mewled and buried her face in his neck. Vulpix glared at him and huffed.

He sighed, frustrated, "We have to! Rockets are evil people who think of their Pokemon as tools! They'll make them breed and separate them from their offspring!" Bulbasaur stiffened before warbling and licking his cheek. The saurian hopped down next to Krabby on shaky legs. She shuffled in place before snorting with a look of determination. It warmed the boy's heart that they were willing to fight for him as afraid as she was. Krabby gurgled and raised his claws. "What about you?" Ash asked turning to Vulpix.

The vixen shuffled and then snapped her head away from his gaze. The boy gritted his teeth when the Donphan uttered another pained cry. "Go hide behind that," he muttered pointing to another boulder twenty yards away from them. Vulpix looked at him as though he were an impossible puzzle and then sprinted to her new hiding place. Ash released Gore the moment she entered Quick Attack.

The ice-type blinked, and then froze and sniffed the air. "Buddy, I know you hate Nidos, but I need you to listen to me!" Ash pleaded grabbing the boar by his tusks, and making him look his trainer in the eye. Gore growled but didn't try to free himself. "Those Sandshrew and Phanpy are just babies, and they've been captured by poachers," he said his gaze unwavering. The swine's eyes widened at the word and he growled. "But you can't save them by fighting Nidoking," Ash finished.

Gore snarled and gritted his teeth so hard he drew blood. Ash knew he was asking a great deal of his partner. After millennia of being hunted by the poison-types and competing with them for food, they had developed an instinctual hatred of the Nidos. They hated none with more passion than the patriarchs, who were the primary hunters and protectors of their herds. Gore closed his brown eyes and grunted quietly. The swine butted his chest gently.

"Then let's go!" Ash said grinning so widely his face hurt.

Xxxxxxxxx

 _It's a good thing Donphan don't tire easy._ Even facing a Nidoking and the remaining Rocket Pokemon, the matriarch was holding her own. Then again, she did kill many of the Pokemon with that Rollout, mainly the Zubat who had perched themselves on the van and were too tired to fly. A burning feeling crept up his throat when he saw another mangled bat. The shielded Bulbasaur's eyes as best he could.

Pokemon could handle death better than most humans could but he didn't want to risk traumatizing her. Gore was staring at the bodies wide-eyed but continued to creep behind Ash loyally. Krabby only seemed mildly disturbed by the corpses. _He probably saw worse in the forest._ Ash grimaced, given the Beedrill population he probably had seen much worse. Fortunately, it was the time of year the Weedle were preparing to evolve when they were passing through. For a month and a half, the Beedrill were restricted to guarding the Kakuna.

Ash blinked when Gore nudged him. "Sorry," the trainer whispered. They peered around the cacti they had been hiding behind, "Do not charge them," he ordered giving Krabby and Gore significant looks. Krabby ignored him; opting to keep his eyes on the battle, but Gore huffed, offended by the implication. The trainer set Bulbasaur back down and pointed to two Rockets standing near the vans, "Ice Shard," he said his eyes closed.

Ash flinched when the Rockets crumpled. He gulped and then rushed beyond the cacti with his team close behind. _They're pokemon abusers and murderers they don't deserve sympathy! Besides, I told Gore to hold back._ He shook his head vigorously this wasn't the time. Ash opened the door as quietly as possible. They had been extremely lucky to avoid detection thus far. He wasn't going to push their luck any further. "Oi what happened to you?" a deep voice questioned loudly. A large man with an equally large stomach was striding toward the downed rockets.

Ash cursed. _There went our luck._ "Water Pulse!" he muttered quickly. The criminal cried out when the swirling orb of water hit him, then was quickly silenced by an Ice Shard smashing into his chin. The boy hopped into the van. That definitely would have been heard. Hopefully, the Donphan matriarch's trumpeting and the Nidoking's roars would distract them. He grabbed a large, black bag and tossed it down to Krabby. The water-type snipped the side of the bag and peered into the hole. He clicked an affirmative and Ash fist pumped. He threw the remaining three bags down to his team, and then hopped out of the van. "One more guys," he said with a grin.

"And who are you?" a high, haughty voice demanded. The trainer stiffened and turned quickly. It was the redheaded woman, and she had the Arbok and Lickitung with her. Ash gritted his teeth as his team took positions around him each eyeing her pokemon warily. "Who are you, little boy? How did you find us?" she asked again with a condescending smirk. Arbok hissed, and displayed the pattern on its chest, making the intimidating snake seem even more frightening. Ash gulped and Bulbasaur took a step back at the display.

Gore pawed the ground with a snarl and Krabby cloaked himself with bubbles. Ash took a deep breath. "Don't look afraid," he whispered as much to the dinosaur as himself, "It'll attack if you do," he added taking another deep, calming breath. He glanced beyond her. Donphan had already defeated the Nidoking. Leaving the Nido patriarch face down in a puddle of blood and was now being double-teamed by the Carnivine and Weepinbell. Judging by her sluggish movements, she was hanging on by a thread. Ash's eyes narrowed there was only one choice.

"The strong silent type huh," the redhead said with a frown, "Doesn't matter you'll be singing like a canary soon," she added with a devious smirk. Gore snarled and fired an Ice Shard at the criminal that was smacked away by Lickitung's tongue. The normal-type groaned as a portion of its primary weapon was frozen.

"Gore, go help Donphan! Krabby get Arbok, Bulbasaur get Lickitung!" Ash barked clenching his fists. Gore bellowed and took off toward the matriarch's battle. The swine discharged an Icy Wind at the Weepinbell, who cried out in agony before collapsing.

"Bella!" the blue-haired rocket cried rushing to the Weepinbell. Ash stared at the man uncomprehending, as he cradled the grass-type to his chest. The Rocket glared at Gore and released a Growlithe. "Everybody take care of that Donphan!" he barked gritting his teeth. The swine turned away from the Rockets shouted their affirmation and released their Pokemon. The criminals released three Rattata, two Raticate, three Grimer, and four Houndour. Ash paled, even if the majority of them weren't very strong, his team couldn't possibly defeat half of them.

"Growlie, grill that pig with Flame Charge!" he snarled at the Growlithe pointing at Gore.

Growlie barked, and shot toward the swine like a dart with fire surrounding the dog. "Gore behind you, and Mud Shot!" Ash cried frantically. The boar turned his attention to Ash with a confused blink just as he was rammed in the side by Growlie. Gore squealed and flailed as the intense heat seeped past his layers of fat, but was unaffected by the force of the blow. The fire-type yipped in pain, when the pig's hoof slammed into its chest and threw it onto its back. "Don't let it back off!" the trainer ordered.

"Quit ignoring me!" the redheaded rocket cried stomping her foot. Ash didn't hear the frustrated woman, the boy's was mind completely focused on his partner's battle. The fire-type narrowly rolled out of the charging boar's path. Growlie whimpered and ran when Gore circled back toward it.

"You're supposed to chase it!" the blue-haired rocket cried to his fleeing Growlithe. Ash scoffed, and turned back to his other Pokemon. As long as Gore kept his temper in check, the dog wouldn't be a threat to him. Worry gripped his heart when he couldn't see Bulbasaur. He tugged on the bill of hat this wasn't the time. The crab Pokemon was keeping Arbok at bay with his claws and mastery over Harden, but couldn't get around the snake's reflexes. Finally, Arbok seemed to accept that it couldn't pierce the crab's armor. Ash blinked, he had expected an Arbok to be far stronger.

"Poison Sting!" the rocket woman commanded scowling. Ash's eyes widened in alarm when Arbok's marked chest puffed out. It spat poison in the form of needles at his Pokemon, who was quickly covered by the white sheen of Harden. Krabby hissed and glared balefully at the snake. The crab shot three Water Guns at the poison-type, only for the snake to evade the concentrated streams of water without effort. "Just give up and it won't too hurt much!" she said shaking with the force of her laughter.

"Bubble!" Ash barked gnashing his teeth. Krabby chirped and shot a spray of Bubbles into Arbok's chest knocking the snake onto its back. "Water Gun!" the trainer ordered with a snarl. The water-type fired Water Gun after Water Gun at the defenseless snake, who hissed and shrieked in pain.

"That's enough!" the trainer ordered placing a firm hand on the crab's claw. Arbok's body was covered by as much red as purple now. Ash eyed the snake hesitantly, if it wasn't given a potion soon it could die. Pokemon raised by amoral people tended to be bad themselves; he had to free the wild Pokemon first. _So why does it still bother me?_ The trainer sighed and turned toward the red-haired woman.

"Get out of the way or Krabby'll use you for target practice," Ash told the Rocket as he and Krabby strode toward her. She gulped and took a large step back.

"Get up, you useless reptile!" the criminal cried clenching her fists. Arbok hissed weakly and rose slightly - to Ash and Krabby's shock - before slumping again.

"Have it your way," Ash sighed, "Bubb-" the trainer's command was interrupted by a shriek and a small form wobbling toward him. "Bulbasaur?" the boy blinked. The saurian stumbled to a stop in front of him panting heavily. Ash quickly knelt in front of the dinosaur and scanned her for injuries.

She didn't seem hurt, though she was favoring her front, right leg. Ash's eyes narrowed, she must have been licked by the Lickitung. The greatest feature the normal-type's possessed was their numbing saliva. A single lick could leave an opponent limping or even unable to battle. Numbing saliva was one of the most dangerous abilities a close-range Pokemon could posses. The boy shut his eyes tightly; leaving her alone with it had been idiotic.

His eyes snapped open when he heard a loud squeak. Lickitung had returned, and had positioned itself in front of the Rocket. The normal-type whined sadly when it saw the wounded Arbok. "They hurt Winder!" the Rocket woman cried pointing at him accusingly.

"Oh crap," Ash muttered when the Pokemon turned to them with a snarl. "Bubble and Energy Ball! We can't let it get close!" he snapped as Lickitung surged toward the team. Krabby quickly fired an impressive spray of bubbles. The normal-type stumbled but continued its charge, far slower this time. Bulbasaur warbled and gathered grass-type energy in front of her mouth. Ash smirked; with the bubbles, slowing it down it would have to take the Energy Ball full on. Then, the Energy Ball dispersed.

The trainer cursed, grabbed his team, and then, leaped out of Lickitung's path. He hit the ground hard, making him wince. "Shoulda known that wouldn't work," he muttered face palming. Lickitung blinked confusedly, and then turned back to them with a growl. _So, the big guy isn't very bright._ Krabby wiggled out of his hold, and stepped in front of him with a chirp. The crab waved his claws threateningly and cloaked himself with Bubbles.

"Jessie!" the blue-haired man shouted running to the redhead.

"Can't you see I'm busy James?" Jessie snapped her eyes fixed on her opponents. "I'll wrap this up quickly, I promise," the criminal said with a grin. Ash's eyes narrowed at the remark and Bulbasaur growled.

"We caught the Donphan!" James interrupted with a proud grin. "And the Nidoking the boss gave us should be completely fine!"

"Wonderful!" the redhead chirped hugging the man. Ash gaped as Lickitung hopped from side to side happily. Krabby hissed and waved his right claw, offended by the dismissal. The boy's eyes narrowed, this was their chance!

"Water Pulse and Water Gun," the trainer whispered. Krabby chirped and shot the largest, rippling orb he had ever created at Lickitung. The normal-type stumbled and cried out in agony when the orb crashed into its head. The crab fired Water Gun after Water Gun into its opponent's large, round body. Lickitung groaned before it collapsed.

"Licki!" Jessie cried worriedly pushing herself out of James' arms.

"Nice one!" Ash cheered pumping his fist. The crab gurgled weakly in response, his claws drooping. Bulbasaur cooed and wiggled free of Ash's hold. She stepped in front of the tired crab and growled.

"You'll pay for that brat! Go, Golia!" James snapped releasing the Golbat from earlier. A whining, red blur slammed into the man's side knocking him onto its back. Golia squeaked worriedly, the criminal groaned in pain. Ash and his team stared at them wide-eyed.

"Growlie, what's wrong with you?" Jessie cried pulling the frantic dog off the criminal. Growlie whimpered urgently, before turning to the direction it had come from with a look of horror. A large black form was racing toward the rockets. Jessie paled, "Get the hell up!" she cried yanking James to his feet. The criminals leaped out of the Pokemon's path with all their might. The beast circled back this time in Ash's direction.

"Great timing, Gore!" the trainer said with a smirk. His partner nuzzled him, and then turned back to their opponents with a glare and a growl. Growlie moved to hide behind James' legs with a whine. "Are you gonna give up?" the boy asked as Jessie recalled her wounded Pokemon. The redhead scowled, but took a step back when Gore and Bulbasaur growled. Ash tugged on the bill of his hat and inhaled deeply. His eyes opened immediately when the rumbling of a large vehicle made itself known.

The criminals sighed in relief when one of the vans parked next to them. "C'mon you idiots! There's a Kingdra coming!" a nasally voice screamed over the van. Ash grinned ferally, there was only one reason a Kingdra would be in the canyon. The rockets squeaked and scrambled into the vehicle.

"Ice Shard on the windows! Water Gun, Acid on the tires!" Ash barked. "Don't hold back, full tilt!" he added quickly as his Pokemon inhaled deeply. Gore's Ice Shard hit the van's right window, and bounced off leaving only a small crack. The van sped away from Bulbasaur's poison, but its back, right tire was clipped by Krabby's pressurized stream of water. "Stop!" the trainer shouted as the criminals made their escape.

Krabby and Bulbasaur voiced their understanding quietly. Gore continued to glare at the van until it was out of their sight. Ash sighed and covered his eyes with his hat. The trainer did not care if they missed a TM; he wanted to leave this desert as soon as possible. He smiled when Gore butted his chest lightly. "You guys are amazing," he said smiling as he scratched his partner behind his floppy ears. The Piloswine snorted as though such a thing should have been obvious. "And humble!" he laughed as Krabby held himself in the most regal manner he could manage in his current state, and Bulbasaur warbled.

Ash glanced over his shoulder. Hero and Misty were only a few hundred yards away. The trainer knelt and hugged his Pokemon to his chest with a small smile. Were it not for his team, three bags worth of pokemon would have belonged to the Rockets. Ash couldn't have been prouder.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Thank you for reading. Have a wonderful day!


	6. Vs Erika

I would like to thank everyone who recommended Pokemon to me again.

Ash's team was already more or less set in stone, but the other relevant rookies' teams weren't complete. I'm pretty happy with them, and I hope you all will be too.

Episode 6: Vs Erika

xxx

"So, let me see if I understand this," the boss said stroking his chin. "You had twenty Pokemon stolen from you, and ten Zubat killed by a mere rookie trainer, correct?" Jessie and James flinched at their superior's cold tone. Jessie found herself cursing Meowth for his abandonment. The cat Pokemon was as much at fault as they were after all. "Nothing to say for yourselves?" he asked again, his cold, green eyes harder than diamond.

"Boss, it wasn't just a rookie! There was a huge Donphan too!" James said, his shoulders hunched and his eyes glued to the ground.

"A bull Donphan?" the man asked, his eyes narrowed.

"No, we caught three females," Jessie interjected slowly pulling her eyes off the ground. "One of them even managed to defeat the Nidoking you loaned us!" she added quickly. The redhead barely resisted the urge to sigh in relief when the boss leaned back in his chair. She rolled her eyes when James did sigh. _I really need to talk with him about the whole control thing._ After all, the boss did not have patience for weakness.

"And you captured it without maiming it or losing the Nido?" the boss asked a raising a brow.

"Yes, sir," they intoned as one.

"I see…" the boss said, his expression unreadable. The man turned his attention to the impressive Persian by his feet. He scratched the feline behind its charm for several moments before turning back to his subordinates. Jessie clenched her fists and James gulped loudly, their forms tight with tension. "You have done very well," the boss spoke after another tense moment.

"Th-thank you sir!" Jessie whispered deflating in relief.

"You are to send the Pokemon to Proton from Saffron," the boss told them, "I shall send you pay and your reward to the Pokemon center there," he added before clicking the video phone off.

"Yay!" Meowth cheered, running into the room. Jessie narrowed her eyes at the cowardly feline. It was likely he had been listening in on the entire conversation. She gave a small smile when James cheered as well. She would be having words with the Meowth later. (Or rather, Arbok would be having words with him.) For now, though, she would be taking a long, hot bath.

xxx

"Team Rocket's back and you fought them," Doctor Proctor repeated.

"Yup," Ash answered, rolling his eyes. He could understand the man's shock at the news, but repeating it five times was beyond annoying. It was almost as if the man believed Ash would say it was all a huge joke if he kept repeating himself. The brown-eyed boy forward in his chair and glanced at the worried faces around him. He knew the Rockets were to be taken seriously, but he hadn't thought even Misty would be stunned into silence.

"You shouldn't have tried to fight them alone!" Misty said with a scowl. Ash scowled back, so much for silence. "But... if you hadn't then all these Pokemon would have been captured by them too," she added holding the black bags to her chest. "I probably woulda done the same anyway, so I guess I can't get lecture you," the Gym Leader admitted tightening her hold on the bags. _No, not the bags, the Pokemon._

"I'll go tell the rangers what's up," the doctor said with a sigh, "Your Pokemon will be up and good as new in a few minutes," he told Ash before striding out of the tent.

"Thanks," the raven-haired trainer shouted. He glanced at the subdued Misty in the tent's far corner. Ash would be the first to admit he didn't know the redheaded girl very well. Even so, her quiet made him uncomfortable. Then again, he wasn't a particularly social individual in the first place. _Maybe it would be best it I just leave her alone?_

"You did a great job," Misty told him abruptly as she rose. "Stay here," she ordered marching out of the tent.

"Okay," Ash said awkwardly rubbing the back of his head. She returned a moment later with two small, white cases in hand and one large black box. "Are those?" the boy asked, taking a deep breath.

"Yup," the Gym Leader said with a smirk. The trainer took the cases with shaky hands. Ash swallowed harshly and opened the case carefully. The disc was green and had the words Mega Drain written on it in black letters. He set the disc back in the case carefully and opened the second case. Within it was a pink disk with the word Reflect written on it.

"You don't have to-" Ash began.

"Yeah, I do," Misty interrupted with a frustrated wave of her arm. "It shoulda been me protecting those Pokemon," she added in a whisper averting her eyes. "Anyway!" she began again clearing her throat "You woulda gotten one of them so I figure another and this'll be a good reward," she stated tossing something small to him.

The boy snagged it out of the air with a grin. "Thanks a ton," Ash said, glancing at the necklace. The necklace was plain with the exception of the small, fossilized fang attached to it.

"If you take it to Pewter you might be able to get it restored," the redhead told him. Ash's head snapped to her so quickly he hurt his neck. "Are you okay?" Misty asked wide-eyed.

"Yeah, I'm okay," the trainer said, rubbing his neck. "Now what were you sayin'? he asked after a moment.

"It'll take a bit to restore - since it's just a tooth - but the Pewter Museum just got a restoration thingy," Misty stated. "But it'll be a few months at least before it's completely restored," she added her brow furrowed. "If it can be at all," the girl finished in a mutter. Ash leaned back in his chair with a sigh. A few months was a long time to wait for any Pokemon, but he supposed he could ask them to send the Pokemon to him. If it could be restored Misty clearly doubted it. Ash drew breath to thank her anyway, after even if it couldn't be restored it would still be worth something.

"Lady Misty!" a short, bald man cried bursting into the Gym Leader's tent. "Are the Rockets really back?" he demanded frantically. The man wore a red vest with the symbol of the Indigo League embroidered on it. _This guy must be a Pokemon Ranger._

"Yeah, they're back," the girl, stated with a sigh. "And don't you ever barge into my tent again, or I'll have my Kingdra use you as target practice," she snarled so fiercely that Ash jumped and the ranger scampered out of the tent with a horrified squeak. "Anywaays, say hi to Daisy for me," Misty told him with a smile.

"I-I will," Ash squeaked. _Are all girls like that?_ The boy shuddered; he was starting to think he might have been better off staying single.

xxx

"We're never leaving Celadon!" Ash announced from his water tube with a grin. Krabby gurgled his agreement and sank back down to the bottom of the pool. Gore leaped into the pool with an excited squeal creating a small wave that pushed his trainer and a curious Horsea back several feet. "Be more careful! And where'd ya get a Sitrus?" the trainer asked blinking when he noticed the yellow berry hanging out of the boar's mouth.

Gore grunted and lifted his chin proudly, as though he had just achieved a great victory. Bulbasaur came around the juice bar in a sprint and leaped into the pool with a shriek. Gore squeaked in horror and swam in the opposite direction with his prize as quickly as he could. The trainer shrugged and leaned back in his tube. As long as they didn't hurt anyone, he didn't care what they did. That and the lifeguard was a mature Poliwrath, it could more than keep them in line. Ash sighed, thoroughly enjoying the sun's ray on his skin.

Krabby surfaced next to him with dark his eyes closed in bliss. According to Misty the nubs on a Krabby's head were incredibly sensitive, and could even cause pain when they began to grow. The trainer smiled and rubbed the tiny nubs on the crab's shell gently receiving a happy gargle from the young crab. _Celadon truly is an amazing city._ It had a Pokemon center on each side and giant swimming pools in both. After over a month in the desert, the clear, cool water felt like a gift from the Gods. Even after they learned, they had to share the pool with a hundred other people and their Pokemon.

Ash grimaced when a Spearow and Doduo squawked. _Point proven._ His brow furrowed when the Poliwrath padded in front of him dragging Gore and Bulbasaur behind it. The frog croaked at him with a glare. "Thanks for takin' it easy on 'em," the boy said rubbing his temple. Krabby gave his teammates a withering look as the lifeguard rumbled and knelt next to Bulbasaur. The frog snatched the Sitrus berry out of the dinosaur's maw and tossed it into its mouth. Ash rolled his eyes when Gore and Bulbasaur whined. Poliwrath shot the Pokemon a smug look, and then sauntered off to its chair. "You guys are idiots," the trainer stated propping his head up with his fist. "And you totally had it coming," Ash continued unperturbed by their looks of betrayal.

The trainer didn't care how good the Sitrus berries tasted. Chasing one another around a swimming pool was ridiculous. Especially, since they knew the Poliwrath was watching. _Speaking of troublemakers._ Ash found it a bit odd that he hadn't seen Vulpix. He looked over the pool carefully. Knowing the vixen, leaving her alone for too long could lead to another murder attempt. In the last two weeks of their journey in the desert, the vixen had tried to kill him ten times.

Ash sighed; he had been so sure that the vixen was finally ready to be a team member too. He would have to ask his grandfather about it. _Oh? She hasn't moved in the last hour? Then again, Gore did clip her with a tusk._ The fire-type was lying on the pillow he had set up underneath the palm tree and glaring at the Poliwrath's back. Vulpix seemed to sense his gaze and glared at him. She huffed and looked away when he blinked.

"What am I gonna do with you?" he mumbled his eyes downcast. Ash tugged on the bill of his hat and shut his eyes. _No point in sulking, I guess._ "You guys better behave, or else I'm leaving you alone with the Poliwrath," he warned meeting Gore and Bulbasaur's eyes evenly. Bulbasaur stared at him wide-eyed with horror and Gore whined and his eyes behind his hooves. Ash snorted, and patted Krabby one last time before crawling out of the pool. _Is it really okay to leave them alone?_

Krabby was too happy to cause trouble, it was the first time he had been able to truly swim in months after all. Bulbasaur tended to only be a problem when it came to berries or her naps. He chewed on his lip lightly. Ash remembered the cow's reaction to the cafeteria vividly. _But she's okay now? So, she's over it, then?_ Finally he glanced at Gore. The swine had been in an incredible mood since they woke - he hadn't even tried to charge anything yet. The trainer nodded, decision made.

xxx

Much to Ash's relief, the video phones weren't nearly as crowded as the pool. He dialed his grandfather's number with a smile. The trainer had missed his family more than he cared to admit. "Yo!" he greeted when the old man's screen flickered to life.

"Hello to you too, brat," the old man greeted with a smirk. Ash blinked, the professor's right eyebrow was gone and he had a small burn mark on his face.

"Wha-"

"One of the Growlithe learned Ember, and got a bit err- let's say enthusiastic about showing everyone," Oak explained rubbing the mark lightly. "I'm going to be very happy when your mother and Acaya return," he added with a grimace. Ash nodded, not trusting he wouldn't laugh if he spoke. "What took you so long? A Piloswine should have been able to get you to Celadon half a month ago at the worst! Your mother was so worried! She nearly quite her tour early!" he inquired his gray eyes hardening slightly.

"A Steelix and a Rhyperior had a…. Disagreement," the raven-haired trainer explained wincing. "And how did you know Gore evolved?" he asked his brow furrowed.

"Misty told me," Oak said, leaning back in his chair. It seemed Ash's excuse had calmed the professor. The boy paled. _If she told him about that then, would she?_ "I know all about the vigilante thing as well," the professor revealed with a chuckle.

"You're not mad?" Ash asked, sighing in relief. No matter how much he grew the professor could always make him feel like a child.

"No, I'm not, and your mother isn't either," his grandfather answered with a smile. "I'm not happy with what you did, but I understand why you did it," he clarified quickly his smile fading slightly. "Probably a good thing Delia was sitting when I told her, though," Oak added stroking his chin. "Now, what did you want to know?" he asked.

"Well, I caught a Vulpix about two months ago, but no matter what I do, I can't get her to listen to me at all," the boy said with a scowl.

"Not surprising, you're a male after all," Oak remarked after a moment.

"Huh?" Ash blurted standing so quickly his chair fell. He chuckled awkwardly when the other trainers and the nurse stared at him. "Just a bit of a shock," he muttered setting his chair back up.

"The Vulpix line are a matriarchy for a reason," the professor began as though Ash hadn't done anything odd. "The males are less than a third the size of a full grown vixen. They can barely produce a fireball, can't learn Extrasensory, and have been known to die from weight loss," he added. "From shaking in fear," Oak explained when the boy stared at him.

"Soooooo, they suck then," Ash declared nodding.

"Pretty much!" his grandfather agreed with a laugh that seemed to make his eyes twinkle. Ash smiled back. He enjoyed this side of the professor far more than the former Champion Oak.

"But I beat her fair and square," Ash pointed out his brow furrowed. Defeating a Pokemon in battle was usually the best way to prove yourself a worthy trainer. It was something even infant Pokemon could understand.

"She's tried to kill you hasn't she," Oak stated rather than asked. "And she hasn't tried to just run off?"

"Yeah, like ten times or somethin'," Ash, answered blinking, "And no," he continued.

"You're fine then," the old man said waving his hand. "How're the others?"

"Whaddya mean I'm fine?" the trainer demanded slamming his fist onto the desk. "Sorry, sir," he muttered averting his gaze when Oak narrowed his eyes.

"The fact that she's trying to kill you means she cares about you," the gray-eyed man explained. "If she didn't care she would simply leave."

"That doesn't make any sense!" Ash cried, holding his head in his hands.

"Welcome to women," Oak said with a snicker. "Now, how are the others?" he repeated.

"Gore's hungry and moody, Vulpix is homicidal, Bulbasaur's terrified by crowds and people, unless there are Sitrus berries involved, and Krabby's starting to like the others a little," Ash reported with a snort. He would need to look into a way to deal with Bulbasaur's berry obsession. "Oh, and for some reason Bulbasaur didn't know Acid," he added after a pause.

"That's not surprising, her ancestors have lived at the Laramie Pokemon Ranch for over two-hundred years, and haven't had to fight much in all that time," Oak remarked stroking his chin. "Actually, if she makes it to the Venasaur stage, she'll be the strongest in her line in a very, very long time," he continued with a sigh. Ash blinked, it was still hard for him to imagine the tiny cow as a mighty Venasaur. "How's Gore doing?"

"Missing him?" Ash teased with a smirk.

"Hardly!" the professor answered with a snort. "Wave's been sulking though, and I think this may yet cheer him up," he explained. "And I want to know how evolution has changed him," Oak added his gray eyes sharpening.

"He got bigger, moodier, and hungrier, but he's still Gore," the raven-haired trainer said rolling his eyes. Many Pokemon matured greatly with evolution. Evidently, Gore was not going to be one of them. "He learned Avalanche!"

"He's ice natured then, eh? Wave'll be happy! And I'm sure Ancient Power will come to him soon as well, he's got good instincts," Oak remarked tapping his fingers on his desk. Ash blinked when his grandfather looked hesitant. A pit of unease settled in his belly, he hadn't seen the professor hesitate many times in his life. "Nothing out of the ordinary? Just big for his age yes?" he asked, leaning toward the screen.

"No," the boy answered. "Grandpa is something wrong?" he inquired tugging on the bill of his hat.

"Nothing's wrong! But Piloswine tend to be very to themselves, so I haven't had much of a chance to observe them!" the professor said with a cheerful smile that made the unease disappear as quickly as it came. "Take care of yourself! Meet a girl! I want to see my great-grandchildren you know!" Oak exclaimed shutting off the video phone.

Ash's face burned when the other trainers began snickering at him. He hid his head in his hands. _He just can't help himself._

xxx

Something crashed into Ash's back making the boy stumble into the department store's wall. The trainer groaned and rubbed his now sore shoulder. _I can't wait to get the hell outta Celadon._ Pallet town was a small place with a crisp breeze and a warm greeting from every neighbor. The people of Celadon were cold and uncaring at best.

The sheer number of people was overwhelming for the boy. To make matters worse, none of his team could be with him. If the kind people of Pewter and Misty put Gore and Krabby on edge, then their reaction to Celadon would likely be to attack at the first sign of hostility. An excellent method of survival in the harsh wilderness, they and their ancestors had called home for millennia. However, in civilization, it could have them taken from him or even put to death. He sighed and dusted off his vest. Bulbasaur was the perfect size and was well behaved enough to with him. When he had returned to the pool, the saurian had been shaking and hiding under Gore.

Guilt welled up in his chest. He had been a fool to believe Bulbasaur had pushed past her fears in a month. Ash had forgotten that he had set up a cushion for her, as he had for Vulpix. She only came out because Gore stole her berry. The raven-haired trainer gritted his teeth. He wouldn't, and couldn't accept such oversights. Ash took a deep, slow breath. Right now, he needed to find the best tools to help his team.

His resolve affirmed the boy scoured the store for useful items in his price range. A wide variety of children's toys to collector's items, ranging from Clefairy and Pikachu dolls to a Dragonite fang. Ash sighed as he beheld the last and apparently, most bought items. _An entire row of replicas of the idiot's cape!_ _Couldn't they have taken Ace or Drake's capes to make replicas of?_ Someday he would return and buy all of these capes. Then, he would have Vulpix set them alight and rid the world of this gross offense to fashions presence. Best of all he would do it in front of Lance. He laughed darkly at the thought and ignored the several disturbed looks received.

Ash shook his head, he needed to focus. _Looks like going straight to the Pokemart section of the mall was smart._ There were regular potions of course, Super potions, antidotes, full heals and even the legendary Secret-potion from Cianwood. The trainer grimaced at the price, but still placed it into his basket. Regular potions cost thirty dollars, super potions were priced at seventy, but even though it was about a third of the size of a potion can, the Secret-potion cost one-hundred and fifty dollars. If Gore and Krabby didn't have such a terrible sense of self-preservation, Ash would have avoided it as if it was an overly affectionate Muk.

He grabbed a few paralyze heals and made his way to the front desk. The trainer was halfway to the counter when a gentle chime reached his ears. A few feet to his right, a small girl was playing with a Soothe Bell. Soothe Bells were amongst the most popular items among non-fighting trainers. The bells helped to reduce a Pokemon's stress level and made them friendlier. It was a perfect item for someone who wanted a Meowth as a house pet. _Or someone who's training a particularly stubborn Vulpix._ Ash rubbed his chin, then shrugged. _Well, it_ _can't hurt to try. Unless she tries to set me on fire again. Or scratches me. Or practices Hex on me._

 _I'm so screwed._

xxx

"So, as you know, I was given a couple TMs from Misty as a reward for dealing with the Rockets," Ash began his expression blank and his tone stiff. Gore chuffed and stomped his hooves, his body shaking with anticipation and his brown eyes lighting up with happiness. Ash grimaced and averted his gaze from his partners. He looked away again when Bulbasaur trilled and Krabby gurgled with his claws held high. The boy sighed. After the incident with the Rhyperior and Steelix, Ash had been nearly obsessive in his desire to leave the desert. He had been so focused on his goal that he had forgotten to tell Gore that he wouldn't be getting either of the TMs. A feeling reminiscent of Butterfree flapping formed in his belly. _Is that why he was in such a good mood?_

"But I think it would be best to wait until Saffron - that's where our next challenge is - to use the TMs and focus on mastering the moves we learned in hell, I mean Grandpa Canyon," the raven-haired trainer announced swallowing harshly. Bulbasaur's gaze lowered to the ground and her ears fell at his statement, but accepted his decision and trotted off to begin her training. Krabby was outright glaring at his trainer. The water-type turned and strode away from Ash to begin his training. The trainer winced as the crab unleashed the strongest Water Pulse he had ever created at a large boulder.

Gore whined and kicked a small rock before turning away from him. "Actually, buddy we need to talk," Ash muttered wringing his hands. "Alone," he added when Vulpix didn't move. The vixen gave him an annoyed look and stretched. She sauntered over to a boulder - making Ash's breath quicken with anticipation - and then, strode toward the shade of a large tree. "I hate her so much sometimes," the boy confessed to Gore pinching the bridge of his nose. The swine grunted his agreement.

"Gore, you won't be getting a TM," the trainer blurted. The ice-type stared at him wide-eyed for several seconds making him fidget. Then his partner deflated and covered his eyes with his hooves. "Buddy, I'm sorry, but I'll definitely get you one the next time we pass through," Ash promised kneeling in front of the boar. He chewed on his lip when the Pokemon ignored him. The brown-eyed boy smirked as a solution came to him.

"Okay then, I guess if you don't want to have a TM, I can always just give it to one of the others," Ash said with a sigh. He grinned slyly when the boar peeked beyond his hooves. The trainer turned away with a shrug, "I guess it really can't be helped then! If you're going to sulk, I'll just have to focus on Krabby and Bulbasaur," he added. Gore whimpered and fidgeted, but still didn't move to rise. _Time to nail it home._

"Maybe I'll even give it to Vulpix! Or better yet get me a ground-type," the raven-haired child said tapping his chin thoughtfully. Gore squealed and slammed his hooves on the ground. "Like maybe, a Nidorino or a Sandslash," he finished with a dark laugh. The boar butted Ash's side hard enough to make the boy fall onto his back and licked his face between squeals. The boy laughed and wrapped his arms around the Pokemon's thick neck.

Bulbasaur propped her front feet onto his head, and peered into his eyes curiously. Ash blinked, then rubbed her head gently. He turned to Krabby with an expectant smile. The crab Pokemon gave him an annoyed look, but sauntered into his hug obediently. The water-type looked long-suffering but didn't make an effort to get away when Gore and Bulbasaur licked him. Ash turned to Vulpix with a hopeful and less confident smile. The vixen narrowed her eyes at him but took a few, hesitant steps toward the team. The boy's heart pounded so loudly he could hear it. _Is she finally ready?_ He received his answer when she spat a stream of flame at Krabby's target and went back to her nap. _Damn tease._

The trainer sighed. It wasn't the progress he had been hoping for, but progress was progress. He smiled again when his partner licked his cheek. "Alright, let's get to today's training!" Ash declared untangling himself. His team voiced their agreement with enthusiasm.

xxx

Ash yawned and snuggled deeper into Gore's thick fur. Training and the day had ended hours ago. The trainer snorted amusedly. Bulbasaur had fallen asleep a couple minutes after her dinner. He gave Vulpix and annoyed look. She had never bothered to wake up for anything other than food anyway. It was a good thing her species were known to run over a hundred miles in a day; otherwise, she would be incredibly out of shape. _Never thought I'd be grateful towards that Ninetales though._ He was thankful that Gore had at least tried to stay up with him while Krabby was taking his ice bath.

He was also thankful that Misty had been kind enough to give them a gigantic pot for Krabby's training. Ash tugged on the bill of his hat. _Isn't it a bit much? All I did was fight some Rocket throwaways. Definitely not giving back the necklace though._ Nurse Evans, of the south Celadon Pokemon center, had explained to him that the fossil couldn't be restored. Even so, Ash had become a bit fond of the keepsake. Unlike his other rewards, he felt had truly earned this one. A crunching noise from Krabby's pot drew the boy's attention.

"Buddy," he called pushing himself off Gore reluctantly. The water in the pot rippled but his friend didn't surface. Ash peered into the pot. He was half expecting his Pokemon to have fallen asleep. The boy snickered at the sight that greeted his eyes. Krabby had finally learned Powder Snow, but instead of getting out of the pot, he'd decided to test his new powers out immediately. Krabby had frozen the water solid and trapped himself in the ice. The water-type chirped at him with a look of betrayal. "You gotta admit it wasn't very smart," Ash said with a laugh as he reached down to free the crustacean.

The crab Pokemon narrowed eyes gave him all the answer he needed. "No need to get mad," the trainer muttered as he freed the crab's left claw. Krabby broke out of the ice with a hiss, and held his claws up expectantly. "What're the magic words?" Ash sang with a grin. The water-type blew cold bubbles in his face. "That'll work," the brown-eyed boy, mumbled lifting the crab.

"So, I'm really proud of you," Ash announced averting his eyes. Krabby clicked and seemed to find the tree Vulpix was sleeping under rather fascinating. The trainer tugged on the bill of his hat and took a deep breath. "You've been with us for about three months ya know," he began, "I was thinking you might, maybe want a name?" he finished wringing his wrist.

Krabby's dark eyes bore into his for several seconds, giving nothing away. _Was it too soon?_ A Pokemon, accepting a name meant it considered itself part of the team, and that it truly respected for its trainer. Three months may not have been enough time for a Pokemon that had lived alone for nearly five years. It didn't help that the Krabby line tended not to socialize until they became Kingler, and took a territory of their own. "Of course you don't have to! If you want we can just forget all about it!" The trainer blurted too anxious to be worried about waking the others.

The water-type clicked quietly and extended his right claw. It took an extraordinary effort for Ash not to whoop at the gesture. For the Krabby line, pressing one's dominant claw together was a gesture of friendship. He pressed his right hand against the claw. Ash smiled when Krabby's eyes curved happily. "So then, about your name," the trainer muttered tapping his chin in thought.

Whirl, River, and Claws were rejected nearly immediately. Blaster and Hydro were at least considered for a minute. He had suggested Pincher mostly as a joke and received a pinch. "How about just King," Ash offered rubbing his temples. They had been trying to find the crab a name for close to half an hour. Krabby gurgled and snapped his claws. "So King it is!" the trainer stated with a small smile.

King the Kingler wasn't a very original name, but it did have a certain ring to it. Even if the hopping crab didn't exactly look regal at the moment.

xxx

Ash stared at the gigantic building that was the Celadon Gym with wonder. _It actually looks more like a greenhouse than anything._ People in Celadon did call Erika the "Nature Loving Princess" so it made sense. Aside from that, young grass-types needed a great deal of time in the sun to grow properly. The boy shrugged and forced the unease he was feeling away. They had prepared for this. They would be victorious. He stepped through the doors with his head held high.

He flinched as the foul stench of a young Gloom assaulted his nose. The trainer shook his head and strode to the front desk on shaky legs. "How can I help you, sir?" the pretty brunette asked with a wide smile. "Here to get your girlfriend some of famous perfume," she whispered her smile becoming conspiratorial.

"I came to challenge Lady Erika," Ash blurted with a blush.

"Oh," she muttered with a wince.

"What?" the boy asked wringing his hands anxiously.

"It's nothing!" the receptionist blurted. "Please just give me a moment and I'll get our Lady," she said rising quickly. "Please take a seat."

Ash blinked as the young woman disappeared through the door behind her desk. "That was weird," he muttered as he sat. The trainer took several, deep, calming breaths. _Oh, Gods, I can taste it! Great One have mercy!_ It took several moments for the boy to regain control over his breathing. _There are a lot of girls here._

Ash knew that each Gym had ways to support themselves, and that Celadon's method was creating perfume, but that didn't explain why there were only women. The trainer shrugged the thought off, and examined the room. As expected of a grass-type Gym there were plants everywhere. A Sycamore tree lived next to the front desk, with another of its kind near the double doors that he assumed led to the Gym itself. Flowers were everywhere, and there was even an old bush in the middle of the room.

"Sir! The Leader is waiting for you!" the receptionist's voice called. The trainer rose and stretched. He took a moment to steady his pounding heart before striding through the double doors. Ash was taken aback by the new smells and sights before him. The room had the greenest grass, he had ever seen, the most beautiful rose bushes, and tall trees that seemed to stretch to the glass ceiling. The pleasant scent made the boy sigh happily.

"Are you my challenger?" a voice that reminded him of a bell's chime asked yawning.

"Yes," the boy answered, turning to face the Gym Leader. Erika was a young woman with chin length black hair and green eyes. She wore an elegant yellow dress with designs that resembled leaves on it with Pokeballs in them. "My name's Ash."

"Ash," she repeated, nodding and rubbing her eyes. She yawned again. Ash blinked at her. It looked as though the girl had just woken. He flinched when he felt a large creature approach from behind him

"I accept you-" she blinked, then swayed and fell. Ash moved to catch her, but was slammed onto his side by a large creature. The trainer rubbed his now sore shoulder with a groan as he rose. Erika was being held up by a quadruped green Pokemon's muscular neck. "I accept your challenge," she finished in a mumble as the grass-type set her onto her feet. The grass-type stood even taller than Bruno and had a large red flower growing out of its neck. It was easily wide enough for someone to ride on its back.

Ash's eyes widened as he recognized the grass-type. The beast was a Meganium. The mighty Chikorita line had protected and supported Celadon for centuries. They had the ability to heal and even, revive dead grass and plants. _They also make lovely perfume._ He sighed, with his mother's birthday coming up he had been hoping to buy her some Meganium perfume. Regrettably, it was far too expensive for a rookie trainer. At least, the perfume was too expensive for a rookie who was supporting himself. He sighed and did his best to suppress the surge of guilt that coursed through him. "If you want I can come back in a couple hours," Ash offered when Erika had finally steadied herself.

"Oh no, it's fine, three on three," she said, walking to the other side of the with Meganium's help. "Thank you Bloom," he heard the girl mutter as she rubbed the giant's neck.

"Will both battlers please enter the trainer's box!" a woman's voice called. Ash blinked, he hadn't even heard her enter. _A Meganium's scent is overwhelming after all._ "This battle will be between challenger Ash, and the Celadon Gym Leader Erika! Each trainer will use three Pokemon, only the challenger may substitute his Pokemon! Now, let the battle begin!" the brunette woman stated lowering a green flag.

Ash let Erika release her Pokemon first. No matter how harmless the beauty looked, she was still one of the most powerful trainers in Kanto. He would take every advantage he could get. The Gym Leader released a Parasect. The Parasect was an insectoid Pokemon with a large pink mushroom that obscured most of its body from view. What could be seen of the insect were its large white eyes and six legs. The trainer gulped as he stared at the pincers that were bug-grass-type's front legs. "Challenger! Please release your Pokemon within the next minute or this match will be forfeited!" the referee announced without emotion.

"Okay! Okay!" Ash muttered as he released King. He needed to get as much use out of the crab as he could. Like rock and ground-type's, most water-type Pokemon had never evolved to deal with draining attacks they had no need to. The mainly physical Parasect would be King's only chance at a victory. The boy smirked, researching the Pokemon Erika used had paid off massively. On the other hand, not researching the field had been a major miscalculation on his part. The trees that were spread out around the field could be a serious issue. "Water Gun!" the trainer commanded confusion in his tone. _Why didn't she attack? Does she think I'm not a threat?_ He gritted his teeth at the thought. He would make her pay dearly for her arrogance.

He gasped when the concentrated stream of water was swept aside by a pincer. _Maybe I'm the arrogant one._ "Fury Cutter," Erika ordered so quietly that Ash could barely hear her. Parasect chirped and charged Krabby with one of its claws consumed by a bright yellow. The Krabby chirped and charged the parasite with his Vice Grip on.

"King get back!" Ash cried with a gulp. The crab Pokemon either ignored him of didn't hear him and continued his charge. The Krabby managed to catch the grass-type's pincer in his claw, but struggled when the Parasect applied more pressure to its blow. "Release it and use Harden!" the raven-haired trainer barked. King hissed and closed his eyes. The water-type let go of the larger Pokemon and was quickly covered by the sheen of Harden. His Pokemon hissed when he was slammed into the ground by the force behind Parasect's blow.

"Dual Cutter!" Erika said her green eyes sharper than he had ever seen them. Ash flinched when his Krabby gave an agonized chirp as a second, yellow pincer slammed down onto him. They hadn't managed to add Vice Grip to both of his claws yet. There was only one way to win now. The trainer gritted his teeth he had been hoping to save this.

"Powder Snow!" the boy ordered with a smirk. His Pokemon hissed and sent a small blast of chilly wind into the grass-type's face. To his shock, Parasect only flinched and hissed irritably. Krabby scrambled out from underneath the comparatively gigantic Pokemon. The crab blinked, seemingly as confused as his trainer.

"Spory, use Seed Bomb, two!" the Gym Leader commanded with a wave of her arm. Spory squeaked and glared at Krabby as it shot several seeds out of its mushroom.

"Bubble into the air!" the trainer cried clenching his fists. King looked confused with the command, but blasted a forceful spray of bubbles at the descending seeds. The trainer and crab covered their eyes reflexively when the seeds exploded on impact. King uncovered himself and was met with Spory rushing him with Fury Cutter. "Powder Snow!" the boy shouted with a wince. _If even one of those hits him directly, it's all over._

King blasted the strongest gust he had ever created at the Parasect. Unfortunately, the water-type couldn't fully control his technique and sent it higher than intended. Spory hissed its agony and recoiled as the ice-type move hit its mushroom. Ash's eyes narrowed at the reaction. _Parasect are sometimes called the Parasitic Pokemon could it be?_ His thoughts were cut off when King chirped and surged toward the insect.

"Now!" Erika shouted to the flailing bug. Spory gurgled weakly and extended a claw toward King. Abruptly, vines sprung up from beneath the Krabby and enveloped him. The Parasect's eyes narrowed and the vines began to glow. King shrieked and flailed as the vines drained him off his life force.

"Calm down and use Powder Snow!" Ash barked to the panicking crustacean. _That's definitely Leech Seed! But when did she? Of course, she had Spory fire some Leech Seeds with the Seed Bomb! Leech Seeds aren't very durable though, so Spory must have fired them higher than the Seed Bombs. I might be out of my league here._ He shook his head, now wasn't the time to start doubting himself. "You wanna switch out!" the trainer asked the freed crab.

King turned to him with a glare, insulted by the implication. "Alrighty then, let's go!" The crab gurgled his agreement and raised his claws. Ash fixed Erika with a confused look. While it wouldn't have been entirely honorable, he had still expected the Gym Leader to attack while he was considering switching.

"Ready to start again?" she inquired with a warm smile. The crab didn't give his trainer a chance to answer as he fired a Water Gun at the grass-type. "Energy Ball, full power," the raven-haired girl commanded her prior exhaustion nowhere to be found.

"Water Pulse!" Ash ordered gulping at the size of the still growing green orb. King sensed the trainer's urgency and poured every ounce of power into his attack. The Krabby blasted the rippling orb with a chirp. Spory's eyes widened when it realized the speed of its opponent's attack. The water-type's attack impacted with the orb with a hiss. Then, the Energy Ball exploded, throwing Spory feet from it throwing it back into a tree. King sagged with relief while Ash sighed.

The trainer's eyes shot open when he heard his Pokemon gurgle worriedly. The Parasect had risen back onto its feet and was glaring at the crab. King took a step back as the bug-type rushed him. "Slash and Fury Cutter!" Erika ordered her eyes narrowed.

"Water Gun! Don't let it get close!" Ash told the crab in a rush. The Krabby's blasts were blocked with ease by a yellow pincer, while the white one glowing with Slash, cocked back. "Try for the mushroom," the trainer muttered, taking a deep calming breath. King heard him, judging by the twitch of his claws. A Water Gun grazed the pink growth on Spory's back, drawing blood. The Parasect hissed and lost control over Slash, but continued its attack.

His Pokemon narrowly scrambled out of the bug's path, and shot a gust of snowy wind at the back of Spory's mushroom. "Spory!" the Gym Leader cried worriedly as the bug-grass-type flailed and chirped. King inhaled as deeply as he could and blasted another Powder Snow at Spory. The Parasect stilled, and then its legs gave out. Ash cheered and pumped his fist. King waved his dominant claw at his trainer in a weak salute. The trainer grinned and raised his arm in a similar fashion.

"In the match of Parasect versus Krabby, the winner is Krabby!" the referee declared, pointing her flag toward the exhausted water-type.

"I apologize," Erika told him quietly as she recalled the powerful insect. "I underestimated you, from here on out I shall treat you with more respect," she finished with a small smile.

"I could say the same," Ash admitted as he grinned back at the Gym Leader. "King you did great, but it's time to come back," he told the crab in a warm tone. The crab shot him a grateful look before being consumed by a red light. Erika quickly released her next Pokemon, a Jumpluff. The Jumpluff was a blue Pokemon with a large ball of cotton on both sides, and another on the Pokemon's head. _The Hoppip line are as fragile as they are fast._ "Go Gore!" the trainer cried as he released his partner. The boy was confident his partner could bring it down with a single blow.

The swine grunted upon release and glared at his opponent. Then the boar sniffed the air, and collapsed with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. "God damn it, Gore," Ash muttered face palming. Erika blinked at the blissful look on the ice-type's face.

"Sho-should we do something for it?" the raven-haired woman asked her challenger, glancing at the boar worriedly.

"You can just attack him," Ash said, rolling his eyes.

"Very well, then Bullet Seed, Cotton," the Gym Leader ordered her brow furrowed. The Jumpluff chirped, and then spat four glowing seeds at the Piloswine. Gore grunted and shook his head vigorously after being struck by the move. As his trainer predicted, the swine, then turned to his opponent with a fierce glare. The ice-type inhaled deeply and spat a gust of snowy wind at his opponent. Cotton squeaked fearfully before quickly ascending into the air.

"Ice Shard," Ash suggested quietly with a frown. _I didn't realize they were that quick._ Gore snorted and sent a chunk of ice at the Jumpluff. The grass-flying type dodged it with ease and hooked back around toward its opponent. The boar growled and blasted Ice Shard after Ice Shard at his tiny adversary. The trainer's eyes narrowed when Cotton evaded them as easily as the first, and hardly slowed as it did. _Could it have Chlorophyll like Bulbasaur?_

The Jumpluff squeaked and fired several seeds at its opponent. "Icy-" his command was too late; three of the seeds hit the Piloswine's right side and exploded. The swine squealed as he was thrown onto his side. "Gore get up!"

"Giga Drain quickly!" the Gym Leader barked at the grass-type. The Jumpluff did a flip in the air and dove back down toward the swine.

"Avalanche!" Ash barked panic in his tone.

"Get back up!" Erika shouted her eyes wide with horror. Cotton squeaked and weaved around the chunks of ice flying at it. The Jumpluff ascended quickly, but Gore had a chunk of ice waiting for it. It shrieked as one of its balls of cotton was covered in frost. Having lost one of its Cotton was struggling to stay aloft.

"Finish it!" Ash ordered with a wide grin. Gore roared and the rest of the ice slammed into his adversary from below. The ice-type breathed in deeply before releasing a powerful gust of snowy wind at Cotton. The grass-type was saved by a scarlet light before the swine's attack could consume it. Gore blinked confused with the disappearance of his enemy. "Great job buddy!" the trainer cheered.

"In the match of Jumpluff versus Piloswine, the winner is Piloswine!" the referee declared astonishment in her tone. Gore squealed happily and sprinted to his trainer with his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

"Gore wai-" Ash grimaced as his partner rammed the psychic barrier. The swine whined and shook his head. Gore poked the psychic wall with a hoof and grunted. "It's a barrier," the trainer said pinching the bridge of his nose. He glanced back at the Gym Leader who was staring at the ice-type without emotion.

"You're very strong for your age," Erika told him as she drew another Pokeball. "But," she continued when he beamed. "Never in the four years I've ruled Celadon, has a rookie ever defeated Vinya," the grass-type specialist said as she released her final Pokemon. The Pokemon she released was a Tangrowth. Vinya was a Pokemon whose body was obscured in blue vines and had six thick vines as its arms. The Pokemon stood closer to seven feet than six, and likely weighed over three-hundred pounds. The Pokemon gurgled happily before rushing to its trainer and Bloom with its arms spread wide. Ash winced as it hit the barrier at full speed. _The psychics here sure have a weird sense of humor._

"Gore get ready!" he barked pointing at Vinya. The Piloswine blinked at the grass-type and then turned back to his trainer. "It's what we made the plan for," the trainer whispered. The swine stared at him, and for a moment Ash was frightened he had forgotten their strategy. Then the ice-type snorted and faced his opponent. "On my mark," Ash muttered sighing in relief.

xxx

Alternatively titled Sexism goes both ways.

I'm going with the game version of Erika. I think I can do more with that version of her.

People seem to dislike anime Erika anyway, so I doubt that's going to bother anyone.


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks to everyone who has read, clicked, favorited, followed, and reviewed!

Great art goes unappreciated all the time, so having mine acknowledged in some way means more than I can put into words.

Vs Vinya

xxx

The trainer closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. _Tangrowth are among the most powerful grass-types anywhere. They rely on stealth, Vine Whip, and earth manipulation to capture prey that would otherwise be dangerous. The Tangrowth line slap their prey into submission and then drain their life force until they fall unconscious. Arguably the greatest Power Whip users, but the most fragile vines among grass-types. The vines of its arms regenerate immediately and don't transmit pain. Their weaknesses are elemental attacks and speedy fighters._ The boy's eyes snapped open. Vinya had finished her greetings and was now waving at the confused Piloswine. Gore grunted at his partner who could only shrug.

"Vine Whip!" Erika ordered crossing her arms over her chest.

"Take down!" Ash whispered, his order. They would need every advantage they could get. Vinya gargled, and hopped from foot to foot before slapping the surging ice-type with a vine. Gore grunted and narrowed his eyes, the white glow surrounding the boar intensifying as he did.

"Ancient Power!" the Gym Leader barked her eyes widening. Her challenger grinned at the expression. _Focusing on Take Down and Avalanche was a good move after all._ Vinya chirped and spat a silver orb at the ground. A chunk of earth taller than Ash rose in front of the grass-type and met the boar's charge. Gore rammed the boulder without hesitation, but only succeeded in moving it an inch. "Mega Drain," Erika murmured with a disappointed sigh.

Ash's eyes widened as his first and strongest Pokemon was easily subdued by the Tangrowth's vines. _This is a powerful Tangrowth!_ "Now!" he muttered with a grin. As if possessed the ice, and snow Gore had produced raced to its master aid.

"Release it!" Erika commanded her tone urgent. Vinya blinked confusedly, and then shrieked when the boar's ice and snow wrapped around its vines. The flailing Pokemon's limbs were immediately covered by a thick layer of frost. Ash smirked, Tangrowth lived in warm climates where Fire-types were common and had evolved to handle heat. They never had a need to prepare for the power of an ice-type. After a moment, the frost began to creep up the vines toward Vinya itself. "Cut them and Ancient Fortress!" the Gym Leader cried snapping the trainer out of his musing.

"Don't let up! Take Down!" Ash barked. The boar snarled and tore through the weakened vines with ease. Gore raced around the boulder with a battle cry. Vinya spat an Ancient Power at the ground in front of its opponent. A chunk of earth sprung up with such speed that it threw the ice-type into the air. The Piloswine squealed as he was thrown through a sycamore. "Are you okay?" the trainer asked, his voice shaking.

Gore groaned and shook his head vigorously. "Alright then," the boy muttered tugging on the bill of his hat. The trainer's eyes narrowed at the "fortress", while the swine had righted himself Vinya had surrounded itself with large boulders. _But they're just as limited as we are now. So why have it trap itself?_ He received his answer when numerous vines stretched above their shield. "Icy Wind on the vines!" Ash said, his eyes narrowed. _It almost looks like they've gotten a bit longer! Could it be Synthesis?_

"Detach!" the Gym leader countered. The grass-type shrieked when the ice hit it, but managed to rip the vines off before it could spread. "Smash it!" she ordered scowling. Half of a boulder was flung toward Gore at astonishing speed. The swine leaped away from the attack only to find another chunk of earth sailing at him.

"Get behind the trees!" the raven-haired trainer shouted struggling to be heard over the battle. His partner grunted an acknowledgement before being hit in his flank by one of the boulders. "Buddy!" Ash cried clenching his fists. _He got hit because I distracted him!_

"Tomb!" Erika shouted with a grin. Vinya gurgled excitedly as it blasted two chunks of stone at the boar. To Ash's shock, the grass-type's attack missed his partner completely. Gore blinked at the stones that rested at his sides. "Energy Ball!" the Gym Leader ordered her grin widening.

"Ice Shard!" Ash yelled. Gore blasted the largest chunk of ice he had ever created at the grass-type. Vinya launched its attack with a shriek. The moves met and struggled for dominance, the struggle lasted only a moment. The Energy Ball tore through the ice with the ferocity of a Nidoking. Gore squealed as he crashed into the tree behind him. Vinya slumped slightly, the strain of having so many vines destroyed finally catching up to it.

"It's almost over, girl! Just a bit more and you can take a nap in the sun!" Erika urged with a small, reassuring smile. The Tangrowth gargled and faced its opponent. Gore panting heavily and glared at his opponent. The proud swine was determined to be defiant even when his defeat was all but certain.

"Give it your best," Ash mumbled swallowing harshly, uncertain how he could help his friend. The boar's legs were shaking with exertion, it was apparent that standing alone had become painful. _We've gotta at least weaken it a bit more for Bulbasaur. There's no other choice._ "Take Down with everything you've got," he muttered his eyes narrowed.

Gore roared and charged, putting every ounce of power he had into his final attack. Vinya realized its opponent's intent and launched another, far larger Energy Ball at the boar. The swine took the blast head on and continued in his attack undeterred. Vinya shrieked and took a fearful step back.

"Whip and Ball!" Erika snapped her brow furrowed. Vinya slapped at the boar with all of its vines, eliciting pained grunts, and began gathering energy between its hands. Gore snarled, recognizing the technique and leaped. The grass-type shrieked as the boar crashed into it. Vinya was thrown onto its back and tumbled several feet away from its opponent.

The swine huffed smugly and shifted his weight to his right side. Ash sighed, the recoil from Take Down could be lessened with time, but at the moment it was still dangerous. They'd been fortunate the boar couldn't pick up speed in his previous charges, otherwise the fight would have been over. "Icy Wind!" the trainer barked his eyes snapping open.

"Tree!" the Gym Leader countered. Ash's brow rose at the odd command. The Tangrowth sent the majority of its remaining vines to block the boar's attack. Then the Pokemon stretched several vines to a thick tree branch and pulled itself up. Gore snarled and shot the smallest Icy Wind he had created since his evolution at the grass-type.

Vinya squeaked and ripped a branch out of the tree. The branch blocked the majority of the attack, but the Tangrowth lost a couple of its seemingly limitless supply of vines. Ash gaped at the Pokemon. _Is that how Bulbasaur got away from that Vulpix pack?_ The trainer hadn't given her climbing the tree much thought, he had been much too elated that she was safe. His mind whirled with possibilities. _If she can do that then I wonder what else she can do?_ Even after asking Misty and some of the trainers at the camp, he didn't know much about her species.

A thud made him flinch. The trainer's shoulders drooped as he recalled his partner. "You did great buddy," he whispered, pressing the boar's capsule to his chest. A warm feeling grew in his chest when the ball twitched. The trainer exhaled heavily, King may have still been able to fight, but his friend didn't have the stamina to dodge the Energy Balls anymore. Everything relied on Bulbasaur.

"In the match of Tangrowth vs Piloswine the winner is Tangrowth! Challenger if you-"

"I got it!" Ash snapped at the referee as he released his final Pokemon. Bulbasaur snorted a quick greeting as she took in her surroundings. The dinosaur's ears fell when she realized what her opponent was. She turned to him her eyes wide as if expecting him to say it was a joke. "I know it's a Tangrowth, but if she's really hurt," the trainer encouraged with a strained smile. The saurian gave him a doubtful look, but turned back to her opponent. Ash couldn't blame her for not believing him. Centuries ago, experienced Tangrowth had been reputed to clash with Venasaur.

The trainer blinked when he realized Erika wasn't moving. The raven-haired girl was staring at Bulbasaur as though she expected her to disappear the moment she blinked. "Where?" the Gym Leader inquired breathing heavily. She didn't specify, she didn't need to.

"My "starter"," the brown-eyed boy explained with a shrug.

"How?" Erika demanded, making Ash and Bulbasaur jump. "I've been trying to get one for years! How did you get the Laramie's to give up a Bulbasaur? Especially a cow?"

"I didn't! Professor Oak did!" the boy explained, taking a step back. _Are all Gym Leaders like this?_

"Professor Oak," the Gym Leader repeated, taking a deep breath. Bulbasaur was glancing between the Gym Leader and her trainer like she was expecting them to do battle.

"Lady Erika?" the referee called holding her flag as though it were a shield. "Ma-may we continue the match?"

"Of course! I'm sorry Jennifer," Erika said, smoothing out nonexistent wrinkles in her dress. "I apologize to you as well," she offered Ash and his Pokemon.

"We're good," the trainer replied averting his gaze.

"Resume when ready," the referee said, raising her flag.

"Remember our strategy," Ash muttered clearing his throat. Bulbasaur snorted her eyes fixed suspiciously on the waving Tangrowth. The trainer couldn't blame her, he hadn't seen anything so friendly in a fight. "Energy Ball!" he barked.

"Throw it!" Erika snapped before Bulbasaur could even charge her attack. Vinya chirped and leaped off her perch. The grass-type threw the branch at her opponent mid leap. The saurian sidestepped the stick with ease. She fired her Energy Ball with a bark, and then surged toward the Tangrowth. Vinya batted the orb away easily with a hand, then she slapped at the dinosaur with three of her vines. Bulbasaur shot an Acid that tore through the appendages with ease.

"Poison Powder!" the challenger ordered with a grin. _Everything is going according to plan!_ The saurian slid to a stop a yard in front of the stunned Pokemon. Vinya squeaked as the toxic powder sank through her vines and onto her. The Tangrowth slapped Bulbasaur with its right arm, sending her flying. "Grab a branch!" Ash roared struggling to be heard over the cow's terrified squeaking.

"Vinya you have to calm down!" Erika cried as the beast flailed. Vinya whined and ripped off several of her vines in an effort to protect her real body.

"Don't let it recover! Use your vines and the trees to get to it!" Ash barked at his Pokemon. Bulbasaur whimpered and eyed the tree next to her anxiously. "You can do it!" he cried clenching his fists. The trainer took a calming breath. If he lost his temper she'd lose the will to fight.

"Energy Ball!" the Gym Leader's cry made the boy flinch. He muffled a curse.

"You have to move!" the trainer cried. He swallowed as Vinya launched the orb of energy. The cow squawked and leaped, extending her vine as she did, and grabbed the branch. "That's it!" Ash cheered pumping his fist. Now that Vinya had lost the majority of her vines, the only way she could keep up with the agile dinosaur was with moves. No matter how strong she was it would take it's toll. _All she has to do was buy a bit more time._

Unfortunately, Erika had come to the same conclusion. "Ancient Pellets!" Vinya blinked blankly at her opponent as she spat the silver orb of Ancient Power. The Tangrowth rumbled and a stone as tall as Gore was torn from the earth. The stone creaked and then cracks appeared on it. The boulder shatter making the boy and his Pokemon flinch. The boulder had been broken into countless tiny stones.

"Keep moving," Ash advised tugging on the bill of his hat. _Her mastery over this technique is insane!_ Ancient Power was widely believed to have been the first move modern Pokemon had ever learned. The power to manipulate stone to a degree that only experienced earth Pokemon could compare to.

"Fire!" Erika snapped waving her arm. Bulbasaur squeaked and dove behind a nearby Sycamore. The tree bent slightly under the force of the pellets, but the dinosaur was unharmed. Vinya narrowed her eyes and stomped a foot. Many of the rocks clumped together to form a fair sized boulder. The Tangrowth blasted it at the tree with a furious cry.

"Run away!" the trainer barked his eyes wide. Bulbasaur peeked beyond her tree before squeaking and moving behind it once again. The little tree gave nearly immediately under the boulder's weight. A pained squeak made his heart feel as though it had been gripped by a cold hand. _It's way too soon for her! I should have never let her fight!_ A coo made him blink. The saurian was perched precariously on the Sycamore's neighbor. The saurian was frightened of the older Pokemon that much was evident by the shaking in her legs. _But, she has to know I'd recall her if she asked._ Ash breathed in deeply and straightened his back. _To think it ended up being my resolve that nearly cost us the match._

"She's on the oak!" the Gym Leader barked at her confused Pokemon. Vinya hopped from foot to foot and clapped her hands after locating her opponent. Bulbasaur gave her a confused look before glancing at Ash. The trainer imagined if the tiny cow had an eyebrow it would have been raised. "Oh, Vinya," Erika mumbled pinching the bridge of her nose. "Wide," the Gym leader commanded with a sigh.

"Energy Ball!" Ash snapped. Vinya swept both her arms at the smaller grass-type. Bulbasaur's attack reduced the pellets to dust before it soared toward Vinya. The orb slammed into the Tangrowth's belly making her trip. "Get her!" the trainer roared as their opponent steadied herself against a tree. Bulbasaur growled, a predatory glint shining in her pink eyes as she rushed the stunned Pokemon.

"Tree!" Erika commanded.

"Ignore the vines aim for the main body!" the challenger ordered. The saurian barked and shot a spray of poison at the Tangrowth. Vinya's eyes widened in horror when she recognized the attack as Acid. She detached her left arm and then swung it her to meet the attack. It melted nearly immediately, but it bought the experienced Pokemon time to heft her bulk onto the tree behind her. "Poison Powder!" Ash said with a grin.

Bulbasaur glared at her opponent and squared herself. She chirped as she shot the largest cloud of poisonous dust that she had ever created at the cornered Pokemon. A red beam consumed Vinya, saving her from the tiny Pokemon's move. Ash and Bulbasaur gaped and blinked respectively when their opponent disappeared. Clapping brought their attention to a beaming Erika and a crooning Bloom. The Meganium's warm smile made the smaller dinosaur hide behind her leg.

"In the match of Bulbasaur vs Tangrowth, the winner is Bulbasaur!" the dazed referee declared waving her flag toward the exhausted dinosaur.

"You did great!" Ash told his Pokemon as he strode onto the field. She chirped and ran toward him on unsteady legs. Bulbasaur stumbled, but her trainer caught her. The trainer hugged her to his chest. "I'm really proud of you, girl," he added rubbing her bulb. She licked his cheek and nuzzled him. The saurian yawned her eyes drooping. "You can take as many naps as you want til we leave Celadon," Ash said with an amused smirk.

"Misty told me that a rookie trainer who managed to defeat several Rockets would come seeking the Rainbow badge," Erika announced as she and her Meganium strode to them. "I thought she was exaggerating, but I can now see why she was so impressed," the Gym Leader finished with a small smile, coming to a stop in front of Ash.

"Glad I could surprise you," the trainer replied with a shrug. He wasn't entirely sure what to say to something like that.

"Thank you for the battle! I haven't had so much fun in over a month," she continued offering him what he assumed was his reward.

"You're welcome," Ash replied with a smirk as he took the badge. As had expected, the Rainbow badge was designed to look similar to a flower. Each petal was a unique vibrant color. To his slight surprise, in the middle of the petals there was a smiling Meganium. _That's right, all the gyms use their signature Pokemon on their badge._ "So, later then!" he said turning toward the exit.

"Do you truly intend to challenge the rest of the Eight?" Erika inquired before he could get far.

"Yeah, I do," the trainer answered turning to look into the Gym Leader's green eyes. "Think it's dumb?" he asked his eyes narrowed. Several of the older trainers had outright laughed at him when he revealed his plans. Ash would defeat the Eight, or he wouldn't go to the conference it was that simple.

"It's very…. ambitious of you, but it's certainly not dumb," the raven-haired girl answered. She sighed and began smoothing her dress again. "I would recommend Saffron next, I'm afraid the others would be far too much for you at the moment. Then, I suppose Brock would be best."

"Thanks for the advice!" Ash chirped with a smile.

xxx

"Ya know, the shade's way better over here!" Ash yelled cupping a hand to his mouth. Bulbasaur gave him a cold look and snuggled deeper into Gore's brown fur. "Suit yourselves," the trainer mumbled leaning back onto the tree he was resting on. He sighed and covered his eyes with the bill of his hat. The trainer understood why Bulbasaur was angry with him, but he would stand by his decision. It wasn't fair that King had a name while she had to wait. But if she became a Venasaur she would likely live for over two-hundred years. The trainer wanted to make sure she would be proud of her name until the day she passed on.

Ash had known this anger had been building in her since they left Celadon, but he hadn't predicted. He rubbed his sore shoulders, the boar had even refused to carry the bag. _Maybe I should just let her pick a name? It's been ten days and they haven't shown any signs of letting up. If things don't change I'll have to skip Saffron and head straight to Lavender._ He scowled at the thought. Historically, the Saffron Gym was the easiest to earn a badge from among the Eight.

The city was the largest in Kanto, and had the most issues with crime by far. Things had gotten so out of hand that another Gym had opened up to help protect the city. Sabrina had far greater things on her mind than an upstart. With Gore's power, King's claws, and Bulbasaur's speed he was certain they could at least put up a fight. Ash knew he managed to defeat Erika because of the massive advantages Gore and Bulbasaur had over Vinya. If he wanted to stand a chance against Sabrina they all needed to work together. _But what can I do?_

 _Then again the sooner we go to Lavender the sooner I get a fire-type._ The Vulpix line were known for their matriarchal society, ruthlessness, and respect for the dead. Ash couldn't connect with the vixen through the first two so the last was his only option. Going to Lavender, the home of the famous Pokemon Graveyard may yet get through to the vixen. _Well, there is one other way._ The boy shuddered, gender reassignment was not an option.

Ash blinked, King was in a large puddle to his left, Gore and Bulbasaur were napping beneath a tree as far away from his as possible, but where had Vulpix gone? He rose immediately, leaving her alone for too long always made him a bit anxious. The trainer flinched and dove away from a small ball of purple fire sailing at him from his right. "What the he-" he rolled away from another orb of flame.

"Guys C'mere!" the trainer barked his eyes scouring the woods for their assailant. _I have a pretty good idea who it is though._ King crawled out of his puddle with a frustrated hiss and red eyes. The crab gave him an impatient look when he didn't see any threat. Ash drew breath to explain when the water-type was struck by a much larger ball of flame from the left. "You okay?" the raven-haired boy asked as he helped the Pokemon stand.

King snipped at his hands and glared at the trees to their left. "Gore! Bulbasaur!" he shouted cupping his hands up to his mouth. Gore's ear twitched, but Bulbasaur didn't react at all. Why aren't they? Ash winced as he realized why they wouldn't respond. _I should have stayed at Celadon longer and let them rest after the battle!_

"It's just you and me," the boy muttered joining the crab in searching for Vulpix. The water-type clicked his understanding quietly. King turned around quickly and shot a spray of bubbles that only just managed to block a tiny ball of ordinary fire. Ash's eyes narrowed. _That was way weaker than earlier. And she didn't even use Will-O-Wisp! Is she just testing our reflexes?_ If so, then the vixen must have come to the same conclusion he had earlier, she just couldn't compete with the boy's power.

A rustle alerted the duo to the vixen's next move. They turned as one to the sight of the two-tailed vulpine running to them. _A simple frontal attack?_ He found himself oddly disappointed in the vixen. Then Vulpix was consumed by a white hue. Ash's eyes widened as the fire-type rushed them with a bark. King responded with several Water Guns that were avoided with ease.

"Bubble max power!" Ash snapped. Vulpix's eyes shone with a triumphant gleam as the crab's chest puffed out. The vixen slowed slightly in her charge before darting around the bubbles with only a glancing blow. The trainer's eyes widened in alarm. _Since when can she turn in Quick Attack?_ Unlike his trainer, the crab wasn't stunned into inaction. King shot a widespread Bubble at his opponent's paws.

The fire-type howled as she slipped and skidded along the ground. The Krabby shrieked a battle cry and charged the downed vixen with glowing claws. Vulpix yipped in alarm before flipping back onto her paws and rushing toward a cluster of bushes. "Water Pulse!" Ash cried, shaking himself. _I can worry about that later!_ King hissed, his understanding as he cocked his right claw back. After a second, an orb of rippling water formed above the claw. The Krabby sent his attack surging at his opponent with a cry.

The vulpine glanced over her shoulder at the cry. She shrieked as she reactivated Quick Attack. Vulpix dove behind a tree narrowly avoiding the Water Pulse. The orb sailed into a bush with enough force to remove the majority of its leaves. In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Ash found himself grinning. _We've come far._

His Pokemon hissed, irritated with the vixen's escape. "Calm down, bud," the trainer murmured laying a calming hand onto his friend's right claw. "I know she's a pain, but we can't play her game," Ash said glancing around the woods suspiciously. To his dismay, Gore and Bulbasaur were still asleep. It was easy to forget that by his species' standards, Gore was still fairly young. The boy squeezed his eyes shut tightly. He had to be more mindful of overworking his team. King clicked quietly and tugged on his index finger lightly. His eyes snapped open. Ash gave the crab a thankful nod.

 _Right now she's got us right where she wants us. We can't make a move, or we risk being ambushed, but she can take shots at us without fear. The only one who could beat her at speed is Bulbasaur, the only one who can beat her at stamina is Gore._ Ash smirked as an idea formed in his mind. Vulpix's stamina advantage over King was solely physical. The Vulpix line couldn't throw around fire like the Growlithe, Charmander, or Magby line could. "She's gonna end this in one go," he whispered.

The boy moved to stand behind his Pokemon. King gave him an odd look, then snapped forward. The crab Pokemon was determined not to be taken unaware by the vixen again. The duo scanned their surroundings anxiously for several moments before the vixen made her move. A gust of black wind slammed into King throwing the crab off his feet. Ash squawked as the crab soared into his back.

The boy and his Pokemon groaned. The trainer opened his eyes blearily. His eyes widened in alarm when he saw Vulpix dashing towards them. The Vixen was in Quick Attack, but what truly startled her trainer was that her claws were also glowing slightly. He rolled away from the vulpine's attack, sending King rolling off his back. _Not only did she get better with her Quick Attack, she combined Scratch and Quick Attack too!_

 _She wasn't this strong a month ago! She's been training while our backs were turned._ "At night," Ash muttered. King strode in front of his trainer and hissed. Vulpix panted heavily, but matched the crab's glare. Ash wasn't surprised the vixen was already panting. Quick Attack was a move meant to be used in short bursts. Fire manipulation wasn't much of an issue as long as it was in small amounts, but Will-O-Wisp had to have been taxing. Combined with using her strongest attack, Ominous Wind, the vixen was likely running on fumes. "Try a Bubble, get her in the mud, then take her down," he whispered falling into a crouch.

Vulpix pawed the ground and hissed at them. She sidestepped the Bubble effortlessly then, she charged. The Krabby hissed and met her charge with another Bubble. As the duo expected, the fire-type evaded the attack. The vixen's front paw slipped in mud, making her yelp. King's eyes narrowed as he fired a small Water Pulse. The water-type move hit Vulpix square in her snout, knocking the fire-type on her back, and into a puddle. She dragged herself out of the small puddle with a weak whine. The Pokemon glared at them before finally giving into exhaustion and collapsing.

"Great job buddy," Ash said with a sigh. King gave him a weak gurgle and tapped him with his right claw. His work done, the Krabby sauntered back to his puddle. "Things are never boring for a trainer eh, Gramps," the raven-haired trainer said, sending the scattered members of his team tired yet fond looks. "Probably wouldn't give up for anything," he admitted to himself with a laugh.

xxx

Dexter on Hex.

Hex is a ghost-type move that the Vulpix and Ghastly lines are well known for. Often a one-tailed Vulpix, or a young Ghastly will use Hex to escape from stronger enemies. No one is sure why older Vulpix and Ninetales do not use Hex. Some speculate that Hex is similar to an Abra's ability to sense emotions, in the sense that it weakens over time. Others believe that the creature's other abilities are so advanced that such a move would be a waste of energy.

This attack temporarily increases its target's reception to pain.

Fun Facts

Vulpix was scanned off-screen. Her moves are:

Ember, Will-O-Wisp, Scratch, Quick Attack, Fire Spin, and Ominous Wind.

Ash's assumption about her training at night are correct.

Extrasensory is her egg move but she isn't nearly strong enough to use it.

At the time of her capture, Vulpix was six years, six months, and six days old.

Make of that what you will.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

I have no witty or cool title...

I own nothing, please support the official release.

Vs Rina

xxx

Ash grinned at his Krabby. King glared at him and renewed his struggles. If his claws weren't taped together, he might have stood a chance. As it was, the trainer only laughed at his efforts. Bulbasaur gave him a frightened look and hid her head in Gore's thick fur. Gore snorted, ignoring their antics in favor of alternating between glaring at Vulpix and his partner as he strode along route eight.

 _At least he's angry at someone else too._ The boy shrugged, better to split the boar's ire with Vulpix than him having to deal with it alone. "Hey you, C'mere! Take on the Bridg-" the boyish voice was cut off by a squawk.

"Be polite!" a deeper voice ordered. Ash turned to the voices with a raised brow. A man with a black mohawk and a leather vest was squeezing a similarly dressed boy's head. "Apologize, Danny!"

"Okay! I'm sorry," he muttered to Ash giving the man an annoyed look. "You know one of these days I'll be in charge, and you'll pay big time Ben!"

"Whatever," the man, Ben, replied rolling his eyes. Behind the two was a boy who looked to be about his age who was tinkering with a motorcycle. "Anyway," the biker began giving what Ash assumed to be his brother another stern glance, "How would you like to be the first to take the Bridge Bike Bros Challenge," he offered priming a Pokeball.

"Bridge Bike Bros Challenge?" Ash repeated drawing his knife. Ben tensed and moved to stand in front of his brother, but relaxed immediately when Ash only began cutting at King's tape.

"Yup! We're licensed by Lady Sabrina of Saffron," the eldest brother explained quickly striding to Ash and showing him a paper. Gore snarled and spat a small gust of ice in front of the man's feet. "Okay, easy big guy," Ben said backing away with his hands raised. Ash shot the boar a stern look and offered the biker apologetic look.

The trainer freed King with a final cut. The crab pushed himself out of Ash's hold with an irritated hiss and a dark look to match. "Shoulda took the break," the boy said shrugging. Ash ignored his Pokemon's infuriated chirps as he strode to the eldest brother. Well, it does have the official symbol of Saffron. For centuries Saffron family had treasured the Abra line and used it for their badge. Until, a few years ago when Sabrina took over the Gym and added a Drowzee and a Tyrogue to their badge. _I wonder if the Tyrogue is a way of showing respect to the Dojo?_ The Drowzee, he knew, was added due to Sabrina's own partner being a Hypno.

He handed the document back to the biker. Replicating a city's badge was grounds for prison time at the least, and execution at the worst. It depended on the Gym Leader and the severity of the crimes attached to the fake badge. Three one on one matches with a thousand dollar prize if he won. Can't hurt. "I accept!" Ash said smirking.

"Good, then you'll be fighting Danny first," Ben said the gentle smile on his face at odds with his rough appearance.

"Right," Ash muttered glancing back at his team. Gore glared at him and turned away. Bulbasaur was ignoring him in favor of staring at tree leaves swaying in the wind. The trainer didn't bother asking Vulpix. "C'mere King!" he called turning back to his opponent.

Danny was giving him an unpleasant smirk as he released an average looking Pidgeotto. Ash gave the Pokemon a considering look as the bird shrieked and glared at an unmoved King. Flying-type Pokemon were considered the fastest Pokemon for good reason, but they were also considered among the frailest. "Battle begin!" Ben yelled.

"Gust!" the youngest brother cried. The Pidgeotto shrieked as its wings were engulfed by a silver glow. The bird flapped its wings rapidly sending a gust of wind at the Krabby.

"Harden," Ash said raising a brow. His Krabby gave his opponent a condescending look as he was consumed by the white sheen of Harden. The trainer pulled down on his hat to keep it from flying off. _Is it newly evolved?_ To his surprise, Danny looked shocked that the move didn't have any effect. "Water Gun!" he ordered stroking his chin.

"Up! Then use Double Team!" Danny snapped his brow furrowed. The Pidgeotto squawked and took to the sky as the pressurized stream of water raced toward it.

"Rapid Gun!" Ash suggested with a shrug. King chirped and fired three Water Guns in succession. The bird flew away from the streams of water with the lack of effort Ash had expected. He shrugged, it had been worth a shot. "Harden!" he ordered after the bird activated its Double Team.

Double Team was an ability that allowed the user to create several illusionary clones of itself. Ash didn't quite understand how the ability worked, but he did know that the illusions were harmless. "Air Cutter!" Danny barked with a grin. Each bird gave a shriek as their silver wings shot several small blades of wind at the confused Krabby.

King managed to activate Harden again and crossed his arms over himself before the blades hit him. The crab hissed as small cuts formed in his armor. "Just keep using Harden!" Ash commanded through gritted teeth. _Double Team, what an annoying move!_ The only methods to tell the clones apart from the original was by looking at their shadows and the sound they made as they moved. For a bird pokemon, Double Team was an incredible boon. _Right now, he doesn't have any way to deal with such a quick Pokemon, so we'll have to wait until it gets tired._

"Aerial Ace!" the youngest brother said with a smug smirk.

 _Or until he charges me directly like a moron._ "Harden! Then grab it with Vice Grip!" Ash ordered. Aerial Ace was a an incredibly fast attack that that involved combining Quick Attack's speed with Wing Attack's wind manipulation. Pidgeotto chirped and dove toward King with its wings cloaked in a layer of wind manipulated to cut. King and his trainer's eyes widened at the bird Pokemon's speed before it slashed at the crab with a wing. The Krabby hissed as a far larger cut appeared on his shell.

"It's coming back around!" Ash barked at his dazed Pokemon. The bird did a flip then dove toward the crab with even fiercer winds surrounding it. "Powder Snow, aim for its wings!" he commanded his lips stretching into a grin.

"Get back!" Danny shouted his eyes wide. The bird flapped its wings desperately to slow its ascent, but only succeeded in making itself even more vulnerable the chilly gust. Pidgeotto squawked as it crashed into the ground. The bird struggled to lift itself up and return to the air. But no matter how hard it flapped its wings It wasn't able to stay airborne.

It shrieked as a rippling orb of water slammed into its chest and threw it a few feet through the air. "Falc!" Danny cried running to the downed bird. Ash snorted and strode to congratulate his Pokemon. Flying Pokemon that had their wings frozen or injured were helpless. That was one of the basic things children were taught in Trainer's school. Fighting a Pokemon who had evolved to fight with his pincers with Aerial Ace was reckless at best. If the youngest brother had kept using Air Cutter he might have stood a chance.

"You did great," Ash said as he knelt next to his Krabby. King chirped, then moved so that he stood at his full height and his claws were displayed. Ash grinned at the Pokemon as he patted his tiny crown. _I sure do have a humble bunch._

"Kick his ass, Stan," he heard Danny growl.

"Ready to go again?" Ash inquired giving his friend a considering look. The crab chirped and snipped the air. The black-haired trainer smirked and rose. His smirk quickly fell into a more serious look when he saw his opponent's Pokemon. The middle of the three brothers had released a pink Nidorino that was giving King a predatory look. Ash glanced behind him then sighed, relieved. Fortunately for Nidorino's health and Ash's wallet, the rest of their team had decided to take a nap. _Thank the Sky God and the Great One for little miracles._

"Don't go wild or else," Ben snapped giving the Nidorino a stern look. The poison-type whined and kicked at a large rock. Ash blinked, that was an unexpected shift. "Ready you two?" he asked his tone far kinder. Ash nodded and Stan gave his brother a thumbs up. "Then let the battle begin!"

"You don't have to be so dramatic about it," Stan muttered rolling his eyes. "Use Sludge!" the black-haired teenager ordered. The rhino snarled and shot a large glob of poison at King. The crab leaped away from the poison, only to be met with Nidorino's Tackle. Before the horn could pierce him, King grabbed the weapon with both of his pincers.

"Bubble!" Ash ordered grinning widely.

"Sludge!" Stan countered. Nidorino squealed and flailed as the forceful spray of bubbles slammed into his face.

"Let him go, and use Water Pulse!" The Krabby clicked his understanding and released the spooked Pokemon. King cocked his claw back and narrowed his eyes.

"Dig!" Stan shouted clenching his fists. To Ash's mild surprise Nidorino leaped over the rippling orb with ease. Upon landing the rhino's paws began to dig through the earth at an unnatural pace

"Attack it!" he cried when he noticed King seemed stunned by the display. The crab flinched and clicked before blasting a powerful Bubble at the rhino. He was too slow, the poison-type had already burrowed underground. "Keep your head on!" Ash commanded immediately when King chirped furious with himself for freezing up. "Everybody makes mistakes right? Just make up for it by winning!" the trainer continued with a reassuring smile. King gave him a neutral click before turning to scour the area around him.

Ash sighed and joined his Pokemon in checking out their surroundings. The Nido family were an intelligent bunch, so the duo doubted Nidorino would try to come up directly beneath such a well-protected Pokemon. A pink and white blur dashing out from the trees to their right caught his eye. "Turn right, use Water Gun!" he barked.

Nidorino lowered his glowing horn, and then he slapped the stream away. _Tackle and Fury Attack at the same time? So that's a Horn Attack!_ "Bubble, then immediately, use Powder Snow!" Ash snapped narrowing his eyes. King hissed and inhaled deeply, making his chest expand.

"Lower your horn!" Stan snapped. King spat a small spray of bubbles at the rhino. Most of which Nidorino slapped away with his horn, but winced as he was hit in the eye by a stray bubble. The Krabby chirped and shot the strongest, chilliest, gust of wind, he had ever created at the poison-type. Nidorino squealed and shook his head rapidly when the ice move slammed into his face. Ash smirked as the pink Pokemon lost control over his Horn Attack.

King didn't need a command. The crab cocked his arm back and narrowed his eyes. A moment later the crab fired a pulsing orb at his opponent. The orb knocked Nidorino off his feet and sent him skidding away from his opponent. "Water Gun!" Ash ordered when Nidorino, disoriented by the rippling orbs impact, struggled to his feet. To his surprise, the rhino took the pressurized stream with only a grunt. Ash glanced at King. The crab was glaring at his wounded opponent with slightly drooping claws. _We need to finish this._

"Sludge!" the middle brother barked. Nidorino snarled and spat a large glob of poison at the red crustacean. King shrieked and darted away from the deadly liquid. The rhino growled before he shot several barbs out of his mouth. The Krabby's widened before he was consumed by the white sheen of Harden. Ash breathed a sigh of relief when the Poison Sting bounced off the proud crustacean. "Shock Wave!" Stan commanded making Ash flinch.

Nidorino narrowed his eyes, and then shot a bolt of electricity at King from its horn. The water-type shrieked and flailed as the electricity surged into him. For a moment it seemed the crab could still do battle, then King fell like a marionette without strings. "King!" Ash cried, rushing to the downed Pokemon. "Come on buddy, wake up," he murmured lifting his unconscious Pokemon.

"He won't be waking up," Ben's voice declared from behind him. Ash flinched and paled at the statement. "Anytime soon, I mean," the biker corrected in a rush.

"You really need to put a sock in it sometimes, Ben," Stan muttered striding toward them. "Good match," he said, extending a hand to Ash. The trainer took it with a moment's hesitation and nodded. He didn't trust his tone to be polite at the moment.

"I'd like to battle you someday," Ben announced, turning to give Ash's team critical looks. Ash nodded, still not trusting his voice and handed the man his winnings. "Thanks for being our first challenger! Next time you want to find us, we'll be right here!" the biker added in a shout as Ash strode to his team.

Ash sighed as he looked at his unconscious Pokemon. "You definitely gave him a run for his money, King," he muttered with a wry smirk. _He did put up a great fight. But even if he was fresh he wouldn't have beaten that Nidorino. We've still got a ton of training to do._ His brown eyes hardened. _Next time we'll win!_

xxx

"I promise you'll get a name soon," Ash whispered as he rubbed his Pokemon's green head, and strode along the path. Bulbasaur crooned and nuzzled him back. "Did I ever tell you all what Gore's first nickname was?" the trainer asked with a smirk. Bulbasaur and King turned to eye him curiously while Gore had frozen in horror. The boar glared at his partner for all he was worth.

The boy wasn't intimidated in the slightest. It was hard to be frightened of a Piloswine when you had seen him Tackle his own reflection as a piglet. Especially, bad when one considered that the water had been perfectly calm. "Gore's nickname was…. Pepperoni!" he announced snickering when the Piloswine squealed and covered his face with a hoof. "Yeah, he got it cause the first thing he did after hatching was eat my pizza!" Ash continued smirking at the glaring ice-type. _Almost wish Vulpix was out to enjoy this with us._

Gore's glare grew in intensity when Bulbasaur trilled and King gurgled amused. "We also considered pulled pork and woolly ham," the trainer confided in a sly tone. Gore squealed and shot a small piece of ice at Ash's head. The boy squawked as it hit him and squawked again when part of his hair froze. "Jerk! Can't handle a joke," he muttered, rubbing the frozen part of his head.

"And don't you laugh!" the trainer snapped when King gargled. "This is why you're my favorite," Ash told Bulbasaur in a whisper loud enough for the others to hear. The glares he received made him smirk smugly. "You're also the best looking," he said, hugging the saurian tighter. She shot the others a smug look and licked his cheek.

"Could that be?" Ash mumbled, coming to a stop. He narrowed his eyes. "It is!" he cried, making King and Gore jump. Beyond the trees, stood the tall gray towers of Saffron. "We're almost there guys! Let's pick up the pace!" the trainer shouted pumping a fist. Bulbasaur growled and hit him lightly with a foot. "Sorry," he mumbled too happy to make his tone truly apologetic.

The raven-haired child's pace increased to a near run. After spending time in Celadon the boy had come to appreciate the comforts of city life. A soft, warm, bed and a hot shower every night sounded amazing after spending over a week on the road to Saffron. Ash cried out as he slammed into something hard and bounced off. "Are you okay, girl?" he inquired with a groan.

Bulbasaur whined and shook her head vigorously. "Don't do that! You'll make it hurt more," Ash muttered, glancing at what he had run into. A thick pink wall hovered in front of a Hypno. The Hypno was a yellow-furred humanoid creature with feline characteristics and a pendulum in her left hand. Judging by the long mane and smaller nose, the psychic-type was female. Ash swallowed harshly when he realized the psychic was glaring at him. Hypno were special among Pokemon, they had a great capacity for physical combat as well as their powerful psychic abilities. Well-trained Hypno had been known to stand up to, or even defeat powerful Alakazam. He grabbed Vulpix's Pokeball and primed it.

He sighed, relieved, when a familiar roar and chirp made themselves known. Gore raced past him with his Take Down. Hypno thrust her arm out and sent the barrier to meet the boar's charge. Then the barrier twisted and slammed into the swine's side. Gore squealed confused as he was thrown into a tree. King leaped at his opponent with his Vice Grip. The psychic's glowing right arm seemed to blur as she smacked the crab away.

Ash gaped and ground his teeth. _Ghostly energy can affect a psychic's state of mind and break their focus! But how will I get her to?_ He grinned as he threw Vulpix's Pokeball into the air. The vixen was released in a scarlet light. "It said males were stronger than females!" he cried pointing at Hypno. The psychic snapped her head to him with wide eyes. She leaped away from the ghostly orb of flame that was aimed for her head. Vulpix snarled and spread her tails. Two small balls of purple fire closed in on Hypno from her sides.

The psychic's eyes narrowed before rushing the vixen directly. Vulpix barked before drawing breath to spit flame. But Hypno was faster. Her pendulum shook as a wave of pink energy crashed into the vulpine. Vulpix yelped as she was thrown through the air. The vixen came to a stop onto one of the highest branches of a tall tree. "Use as much of your Poison Powder as you can when I give the signal," Ash instructed Bulbasaur as they glared at their opponent.

"Stop it, Glace!" a familiar, feminine voice snapped. "He's not an enemy," Erika continued as she strode out from behind a tree with King in her arms. The Krabby glared at Glace but made no move to attack the Hypno.

"What are you doing here?" Ash snapped his tone harsh. He winced and tugged on his hat when he realized how he sounded. "Thanks, for helping us out," the trainer said averting his gaze. Vulpix was hopping from her tree branch to a lower one. The boy grimaced when the vixen's paws slipped and she smacked her head against the branch with a yelp. Ash's eyes widened in horror as he watched his Pokemon fall to her death. Vulpix was consumed by a pink light before she could fall any further.

"Thank you," Ash mumbled, sighing and deflating with relief. Glace nodded with a glint in her eyes that might have been apologetic. But it was gone before he could be sure.

"Eri? Glace?" a tired feminine voice called with a note of panic.

"We're over here!" Celadon's Gym Leader cried setting King down. "Should we do something for him?" Erika asked, pointing at Gore's still form.

"He'll be fine," Ash said, waving his hand dismissively. _Probably just took a look at the pendulum._ "Go wake him up right?" She snorted and trotted over to the slumbering boar with her vines out. The trainer flinched when she slapped the boar's nose. Gore squealed and flailed as his peaceful sleep was brought to a painful end. _Note to self: her berries are off limits._

Vulpix glared at Glace for all she was worth. The Hypno stared back, her composure cooler than a Sinnoh mountain. The vixen looked away with a huff and strode to her trainer. Gore rushed in front of Ash and growled. The boar, still hadn't forgiven her for attacking while he slept. Ash patted his friend's side soothingly. Vulpix snorted at Gore before sauntering around him.

Gore tensed when the vulpine walked by Ash, but relaxed when she curled up under a tree. Ash hefted himself up with a grunt. "So, if you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here?" the trainer inquired tugging on his hat.

"I was... visiting someone," Erika answered averting her gaze.

"You have a friend in Saffron then," Ash said, rubbing Gore behind his ears.

"Yes! No! Something like that!" she blurted smoothing her dress.

"Wait a minute, how do you even have something like a friend?" the younger trainer asked blinking. Vulpix snorted and stared at him as though he had said something incredibly foolish. Ash shrugged as Erika stared at him, her face flushed and wide-eyed.

Behind the flustered Gym Leader, a tall woman, likely a head taller than the petite leader of Celadon, with long black hair was speaking quietly to Glace. The Hypno stared at Ash with sad eyes for a moment before nodding. "I apologize for the trouble she caused you. Glace has been understandably paranoid since the attack," the woman, who Ash assumed was the Hypno's trainer, explained her tone calm.

"Attack?" Ash repeated, narrowing his eyes.

"Rockets attacked the Silph Corporation's headquarters in Saffron, yesterday," Erika explained with a yawn. Ash gulped, his eyes wide. Bulbasaur trotted next to him and nudged his leg, wanting to be picked up.

"I'm afraid that no one will be entering Saffron for the next few days," Erika's companion continued her gray-blue eyes sympathetic.

"Well that sucks," the trainer said, tugging on his hat.

"Indeed," the woman agreed her lips tugging into a small smile. The smile faded as suddenly as it came. "Why'd you want to go to Saffron?" she asked. "I work for the Saffron Gym," she explained when Ash's brow furrowed.

"I came here to challenge Lady Sabrina," the boy said with a frustrated sigh.

"I see," the Gym Trainer said, her face blank. "Would you mind having a match with me?" she asked removing a Pokeball from the belt around her waist.

"Well-" King answered for him. The Krabby leaped in front of his trainer and raised his claws. Ash glanced at the rest of his team. Gore and Bulbasaur snorted, while Vulpix stretched and turned away. "I guess so," he uttered with a smirk. The woman frowned and glanced at the Will-O-Wisp Vulpix had created. She placed the capsule back on her belt and drew another.

The Pokemon the woman had released was a Venonat. Ash raised a brow. This was the first time he had fought a Venonat since he fought the girl who disappeared. "Three on three good for you?" the brown-eyed boy asked.

"Yes," his opponent replied.

"Don't underestimate him, Rina," Erika told the Gym Trainer. "He's the one Misty said beat those Rockets," she finished glancing at Ash. "And he beat Vinya."

"String Shot," the Gym Trainer ordered her eyes sharpening. Venonat chirped and shot a string of silk at the crab Pokemon. King jumped away from the attack and shot a spray of bubbles at the bug-type. "Reflect, Psybeam," the woman murmured while tilting her head to the side like a curious cat. The pink barrier was far thinner than the one created by Glace, but it still stopped the Bubble easily. Venonat narrowed its large red eyes and shot a pink ray at the Krabby at astonishing speed.

"Harden!" Ash snapped, his eyes widening. King shrieked as the beam sent him tumbling back to his trainer.

"Acid!" his opponent ordered raising a brow. Ash paled as the bug Pokemon shot a spray of poison at the dazed water-type.

"Harden!" he cried his tone urgent as King struggled to rise. The Krabby, having caught onto his trainer's panic quickly activated the white sheen of Harden. King hissed his pain when the Acid landed on him. Ash flinched when he saw the melted shards of armor hit the ground. Gore snarled and moved to help him. "This is a duel!" the trainer explained grabbing the boar by his floppy ear.

"Psybeam," Rina ordered crossing her arms.

"Water Pulse!" the younger trainer countered. King and Venonat chirped in unison as they cocked their arm back and narrowed their eyes respectively. The rippling orb met the pink ray, before tearing through it and surging toward Venonat. The bug shrieked as the orb slammed into it and knocked it on its Ash's eyes narrowed. _The pulse lost a ton of power!_ "Powder Snow!" King clicked weakly then he inhaled deeply.

"String Shot on a tree!" the Gym Trainer commanded. Venonat spat a string of silk at a tree that quickly hardened, and pulled itself away from the weak gust of wind. Not without injury, its left foot was covered in a thin layer of frost. The bug swayed and then leaned against the tree to steady itself.

"Water Gun," Ash mumbled with a frown. _It shouldn't have been able to escape! He's more tired than I thought._ King fired a small stream of water at the hairy bug that knocked it out of the tree. The crab extended his claws and glared at the prone Pokemon.

"Venonat withdraws," the tall woman said her tone even as Venonat was consumed by a red light. His opponent released a small Mr. Mime. Mr. Mime were a humanoid species that averaged at a little over four feet tall and one-hundred pounds heavy. The Pokemon had pale skin, red cheeks, and spindly arms that ended in gloved hands with a red dot on each finger. They were Psychic-types with fairy-type properties. Their specialty in barrier techniques meant they possessed some of the weakest telekinetic powers among psychics.

"You did great," he muttered returning King. _Fairies can't stand poison. All we need is a clean shot._ _Psychics have a counter against poison with their barriers, but she's still my best bet._ "You're up," he said, glancing at the cow on his shoulder. Bulbasaur glanced between Ash and the Mr. Mime nervously before she leaped off his shoulder. "Ready when you are."

"Psywave, full power," his opponent uttered, narrowing her eyes at the saurian. The psychic closed its eyes for a moment, then a pink circle larger than King sped toward Bulbasaur. She squeaked and leaped out of the attack's range. Mr. Mime thrust an arm in the grass-type's direction. A moment later a thin, pink wall formed it hovered for an instant, then it raced toward Ash's Pokemon.

"Into a tree!" Ash barked. Bulbasaur chirped and shot her vines toward the nearest tree. She yanked herself out of the wall's path just in time. Ash and Bulbasaur winced while Gore growled when the barrier slammed into a tree with a crack. The trainer grabbed his friend by his ear again. If the boar interfered it would be an automatic loss for Bulbasaur. _I shoulda known better than to let him stay out while she was fighting._ "Energy Ball!"

"Psybeam," Rina muttered while uncrossing her arms. Mr. Mime squeaked as it brought its hands close to one another. It thrust its hands toward the startled saurian who dispersed her Energy Ball in favor of swinging to a nearby branch. "Confusion." Mr. Mime grunted with exertion as it lifted several rocks from the path. With a wave of its hand the rocks soared through the air.

"Keep moving no matter what!" the boy snapped between gritted teeth. _Energy Ball takes too much time to charge! If only she were ready for Razor Leaf._ Ash's eyes widened when one of the sharp rocks nicked the grass Pokemon making her yelp and slip off her branch. "Acid!" Ash yelled when the mime clenched its fist. Bulbasaur spat the acidic spray just before she hit the ground. Ash winced when she bounced as she hit the ground.

"Reflect!" the dark-haired woman ordered slight worry in her tone. The rocks immediately fell as the mime rushed to create a barrier. The psychic whimpered when the barrier melted slightly and poured more power into the attack. The Mr. Mime sighed, relieved when the wall held.

"Energy Ball then, Poison Powder, quick," Ash whispered motioning to the now standing Pokemon to be quiet. Bulbasaur stared at him as though he was doing something ridiculous, but began to charge an Energy Ball.

"Barrier crash," Rina uttered her expression returning to its impassive state. A small, thick, pink wall materialized and shot toward the saurian cow with incredible speed. Bulbasaur barked and slapped the ground with her vines. Ash gaped as the grass-type leaped over the psychic attack. _She can do that? How the hell did I not think of that?_

Bulbasaur shot a burst of poisonous dust at the stunned mime. The Pokemon shrieked so loudly that Ash covered his ears instinctively as it thrust a palm out. A Psybeam, far larger than the one from the start, crashed through the Poison Powder and into Bulbasaur. The Pokemon shrieked as she was thrown through a tree branch. "Do you wanna come back?" Ash asked, swallowing harshly.

Bulbasaur's response was a weak wail. "You did great," the trainer muttered after recalling her. He placed the Pokemon's ball onto his belt with a sigh. _Best to keep Gore fresh for the last round._ The trainer blinked when he realized Gore had already moved in front of him. "Okay then, that'll work too," Ash mumbled with a shrug. _The longer King spends in his ball the better he'll be if we need him._ The biggest upside to withdrawing one's Pokemon from battle was the stamina they regained. To his surprise, Gore didn't react to his mumble, opting instead to stare at the psychic with an expression that was unreadable to even Ash.

"Psywave," the Gym Trainer uttered with a blink. Mr. Mime recoiled and lost its concentration when Gore roared furiously. The boar surged at the mime with the strongest white sheen Ash had ever seen him with. Mr. Mime fired its pink circle shaped wave into the boar's face, but it hardly slowed the Piloswine, in fact only angered him further. The psychic squeaked in horror before erecting a thick pink barrier.

Gore rammed the barrier with such force that it shattered. The mime squealed as the enraged ice-type crashed into its round body. Mr. Mime tumbled several yards before coming to a stop mere inches from its trainer. Ash looked between the unconscious mime and his partner wide-eyed. "Buddy come back!" he cried when the swine continued to glare at his helpless opponent.

The Piloswine growled, but assented, his deadly temper soothed by the mime's brutal defeat. The Gym Trainer was expressionless as she recalled the mime and released her next Pokemon. Vulpix snapped to attention and Ash gulped at the trainer's next choice. It was a fox Pokemon of a reddish brown color that darkened near its paws. The Pokemon was an eight-tailed Vulpix. _If I remember correctly, when a Vulpix gets their eighth tail it means they're ready for evolution. We've gotta make her fight close up somehow. A single Take Down. Just one and it's over._

"Don't you think that's going too far, Rina," Erika mumbled glancing between the dark-haired woman and Ash.

"Not at all," Rina replied, tilting her head in a manner that reminded him of a cat. The vixen took one look at her opponent before huffing and turning away as though the boar wasn't worth her time. Ash scowled and Gore snarled at the blatant disrespect. "Take this more seriously, Vivi," the Gym Trainer said, her tone serious.

"Icy Wind!" Ash barked, giving the vixen a baleful look. The swine huffed and spat a gust of snowy wind at the haughty fox. Vivi darted around the attack and rushed into the woods. The pig blinked, confused by the action. Ash glanced at Rina, the woman's composure hadn't fractured. "She's got a plan," he told his partner.

Gore stared at the trainer for a moment then, he began spewing snowy wind in the direction the vixen had disappeared in. "What are you doing?" Ash asked, staring at the boar as though he had lost his sanity. _Well, it's not like there was very much to lose in the first place._ The Piloswine snorted, satisfied, and began to create Ice Shard after Ice Shard around himself. "Ah, that's what we'll do!" the trainer cried pumping a fist. Gore was probably hoping to get lucky and hit her, or just to lower the temperature for himself, but the swine's actions could still be incredibly helpful.

His Avalanche would be stronger the more ice the swine had to manipulate. Which would give him a better defense against Vivi's fire, and limit her speed. Heat was one of the very few things the Swinub line hadn't evolved to deal with. Given that he hadn't been born in a mountain, and had been forced to endure five summers Gore would be able to handle it better, but it was still a serious advantage for the Vulpix.

"If you're ready," Rina mumbled, closing her eyes. Six pink bars fell from the above and pinned the Piloswine. Gore squealed and flailed mightily in an effort to free himself. A purple, giant, ball of flame slammed into the swine's side and exploded on impact. Ash paled as his friend was thrown off his hooves with an agonized squeal. The Piloswine skidded several feet until he hit a tree.

Vivi burst into the clearing with purple flames cloaking her slender form. _Damn it all! Will-o-Wisp and Flame Charge again!_ "Cover your belly!" Ash roared clenching his fists. Gore snarled jerked his head up quickly. One of the closer chunks of ice raced to its master's aid. To Ash's horror, the ice was too slow. The fire-type rammed the Piloswine's belly with a victorious bark. The boar roared in fury when Vivi remained in that position for a couple moments. She stepped back, lowered her Flame Charge, and gave the boar a condescending look.

"Get back!" the Gym Trainer snapped her eyes widening. Ash smiled coldly when Gore snarled and kicked at the vixen. Vivi yipped and backpedaled several yards away from the rising swine. A chunk of ice slammed into her side, sending her flipped to her feet just before the chunk came back around and threw her off her paws. Gore narrowed his eyes. The ice began to spin as it raced to finish the downed vixen. Vivi barked and blasted a Flame Burst that broke the chunk into ten small pieces.

The vixen rose while favoring her right leg and her breathing coming in pants. Vulpix trotted out of the shade sat next to Ash. The boy paid her no mind. Defeating this experienced, if incredibly arrogant vixen was far more important at the moment.

 _Ghostly, Dark, and even some psychic natured Vulpix don't need to use Quick Attack to reach their full speed._ _She might be as fast as that Matriarch with both legs!_ "Mud Slap!" Ash whispered tugging on the bill of his hat. His friend snorted before inhaling deeply.

"Ember," Rina ordered her face becoming blank once again. The small ball of fire tore through the swine's spray of mud and hit the boar between his eyes. Gore shook his head vigorously, but didn't seem hurt. Ash clenched his jaw. _Tackle and Mud Slap are worthless in a fight of this level!_

"Icy Wind full power," the Piloswine's partner commanded while narrowing his eyes. _No Will-O-Wisp or Flame Burst? She must have lost a ton of power on that massive Flame Burst._ Gore reared back and spat a large snowy burst of wind at the vixen. Vivi yipped fearfully and spewed a small stream of flame that only just protected her from the wind. "Take Down!" Ash barked with a grin.

The Piloswine snarled and stomped his hooves as he was consumed in a strong white sheen. The boar roared and charged the limping vulpine. Vivi bared her fangs amused, lowered her leg, and darted around the attack with ease. The fire-type barked triumphantly and spat a small orb of flame into the swine's right side. Ash flinched as the the orb exploded making Gore stumble with a squawk. "What the - but how did she?" Ash asked wide-eyed. _She was never hurt at all! But why doesn't she press her attack?_

He narrowed his eyes. The Vulpix hid it well, but judging by the way she was leaning, she was in considerable pain. "Ice Shard!" the trainer commanded determination shining in his brown orbs. Gore panted heavily and glared at the eight-tailed fox before shooting a chunk of ice at her. Ash grinned as Vivi shot a Flame Burst at the ice. "Come on buddy, one more time!" he cried his grin returning.

"Fire Spin, shield," Rina said suddenly making Ash jump. Vivi shot a smaller orb of fire that exploded on impact with the shard. The Flame Burst couldn't destroy the ice, but it did manage to alter its path. The vulpine barked and shot a stream of flame that quickly spread into a circle around her.

"I am so stealing that," Ash mumbled with a blink. Vulpix snorted her agreement and continued to stare attentively at the older vixen. Vivi inhaled heavily and shut her eyes. The flames rose as she exhaled the breath. "Mud Shot on a wider scale!" the raven-haired trainer shouted his eyes widening. Gore blinked at him, confused by the command. "Damn it, Gore! Just make a bigger Mud Slap!" he snapped pinching the bridge of his nose.

Gore snorted his understanding and shot large glob of mud at the panting vixen. "Finish him," Rina said narrowing her eyes. The mud was blown apart feet from the vixen's shield as though it had been hit by something. Gore narrowed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Then the boar squealed and backpedaled as though he had been struck.

"G-get back!" Ash shouted clenching his fists. _What the hell is that?_ The flame shield struck out at Gore's hind legs in a form similar to a whip. The swine squealed and rushed forward into another invisible attack. His partner stumbled and swayed before his legs finally gave out. "Gore," Ash muttered closing his eyes tightly as he recalled the unconscious boar. After a moment, he smirked.

"It took three Flame Bursts, a Flame Charge, and a couple Embers to put you down. You're amazing, pal," he told the Piloswine with a fond smile. The ball shook slightly, even as battered as he was Gore still responded to his partner's voice. A warm feeling formed in Ash's chest at the thought. The boy caught his fire-type staring up at him. "Sorry, girl, I can only use King for this one," Ash said his smile fading. Vulpix rolled her eyes before striding back to the shade of the tree she had been resting under.

"What did I do wrong?" he mumbled, priming King's Pokeball.

"Misty did not exaggerate, it seems, you are quite the rookie," Rina announced leaning her head back a bit and closing her eyes.

"Glad I didn't disappoint," Ash responded, raising a brow. He had never heard of Gym Trainer who didn't refer to a Gym Leader by their title. The trainer shrugged, it wasn't a big deal. King took his surrounding in with narrowed eyes. He glanced back at his trainer. "Yeah…. She beat Gore. It's just you now," the boy answered the crab's unvoiced question. Vivi barked and stomped her paw. "Bubble!" Ash ordered rolling his eyes.

King chirped as he shot a spray of bubble at the impatient vixen. The Vulpix narrowed her eyes and sent a small Flame Burst at the ground in front of the spray. The orb's explosion dispersed the Bubble making the Krabby narrow his eyes. "Harden!" Ash said with a huff.

"Ominous Wind," the Gym Trainer countered, her blue eyes seeming as though they were trying to bore a hole in King. Vivi purred, then she shut her eyes to concentrate. King narrowed his eyes at what he likely considered a slight, and cocked his right arm back. "Attack!" Rina snapped her tone urgent, but her expression still blank.

The Vulpix snapped her eyes open and spread her tails quickly. A gust of black wind soared toward the choleric crab. King chirped a challenge as he shot his Water Pulse. The rippling orb met the black wind and tore through it. Vivi yipped as she was sent tumbling out of her shield. The Krabby hissed, then he surged toward the prone vixen with his claws taking on a white sheen.

Vivi yipped and jerked her head at the crab. A small part of the shield molded into an orb and slammed into the crab Pokemon, knocking him onto his side. The Vulpix hissed and spat a thin stream of flame at the ground near King. The fire quickly spread into a circle around the dazed crustacean. "Bubble!" Ash snapped. His water-type pushed himself to his feet with a weak hiss, and then he sprayed a small cluster of bubble at the fire. Vivi picked this moment to blast a tiny orb of fire at the crab.

"Dodge this one!" the trainer barked, his eyes widening as he recognized the orb as another Flame Burst. King covered his eyes with his dominant claw and sidestepped the flame. "Bubble!" Ash cried when he saw the Vulpix inhale deeply. Sensing his urgency, the crab immediately shot a large burst of bubbles that utterly smothered Vivi's fire. The panting vixen glared at the Krabby balefully.

The trainer smirked. _One more shot and this is over._ The smirk faded as quickly as it came when he took in King's form. "Bubble!"

"Don't overdo it," Rina muttered with a yawn. To the young duo's astonishment, Vivi took the forceful spray without even attempting to dodge. The Vulpix rolled a few feet away with a whine. King slumped and shut his eyes with a relieved gurgle.

"You did great," Ash said with a smile as he wiped his brow. "I guess we win th-," his proud declaration was cut off by a gasp when Vivi began to rise. The experienced Vulpix's slender form was surrounded by wisps of dark energy. She snarled with a glare so fierce that Ash and King flinched. Vivi directed the wisps to her open maw and molded them into an orb

Ash paled while King instinctively activated Harden and crossed his claws to brace himself. Vivi blasted a black beam at the crab Pokemon with astonishing speed. The Krabby chirped fearfully as he slammed his right claw on the ground and leaped. Vivi jerked her head up to alter the beam's path at King. The trainer flinched again as his Pokemon was thrown into one of Gore's Ice Shards.

"King!" Ash cried flinching again. _That was Dark pulse! But how could a Vulpix use such a powerful move when she's about to collapse? And why didn't she at least try to dodge the Bubble?_ Something tickled at the back of his mind, something he had been told once when he was young about dark-types. "Can you get up?" he asked his Pokemon with gritted teeth.

King pushed himself up with a weak hiss. The crab sagged and swayed, but managed to brace himself against the chunk of ice that was only slightly smaller than him. Vivi huffed, annoyed with the water-type's persistence. Ash bit his lip, his friend wanted to fight, but he wasn't sure if continuing would be good for the Pokemon's health. The Vulpix blinked as a pink glow surrounded her and lifted her off the ground. "I yield," Rina announced, catching the exhausted vixen.

Ash's eyes narrowed. _Were her eyes, pink just now? So, she's a psychic then._ This was the first time he had ever met a person with psychic powers. Though the abilities of a human psychic were pathetic compared to a Pokemon's they were still respectable. Ash kept this thought in mind as he strode to the woman, with King in hand. "You've gotten a lot stronger since last time," Erika observed staring at King.

"Yeah, he has, we fought a couple of tough ones a while back," Ash said glancing back at Vulpix. She rolled her eyes, a gesture she had taken to rather quickly, and then turned an ineffectual glare on Vivi. "What were those weird moves you used anyway?" he asked, turning back to the older trainers. "I mean the weird thing I couldn't see, and what you used to boost that Dark Pulse up," he elaborated when Rina and Vivi tilted their heads to the side.

"Extrasensory, a psychic move, and Payback, a dark move," the psychic explained with a nod.

"Extrasensory is a move that all Vulpix know instinctively," Erika added stroking Vivi's tails. The experienced Vulpix purred and licked the Gym Leader's delicate hand.

"You must visit Rina a lot if she lets you do that," Ash pointed out furrowing his brow. The Vulpix were well known for their vanity and were especially sensitive about their tails. There was even a legend of a Ninetales driving a man to madness for touching her tails without permission. The trainer shuddered, at one point it had seemed like an old wives tale, but it seemed like something his Vulpix might do if he didn't control her instincts well enough. For some reason Erika blushed again before mumbling something about needing a nap and speeding off into the woods. "So what's Extrasensory then? It can't be an egg move 'cause Dexter didn't mention it when I scanned my Vulpix."

"Extrasensory is a move that the Pokedex cannot detect," Rina told him giving Erika an amused look.

"A move that Dexter can't detect," Ash mumbled shutting his eyes. _In the end, the Pokedex is just a general encyclopedia of the various Pokemon species in Kanto._

"It was a pleasure to meet you, young Ash," Rina said nodding at him. She turned to follow Erika, but paused mid step. "This, I believe.." she began turning back to Ash and levitating something small toward him. "Belongs to you now," she finished with a small smile.

"Thanks," Ash mumbled blinking at her as King grabbed his prize. Her smile widened, then she turned and strode into the woods. King gurgled at the trainer and held up the item for him to see. It was a round golden rock with a Drowzee, Abra, and a Tyrogue on it. "The Marsh Badge!" the boy cried, dropping his Pokemon in his shock. "So Rina must have been short for Sabrina then," he said, stroking his chin and ignoring the outraged chirps his Pokemon sent at him.

He narrowly ducked under the small ball of purple fire Vulpix sent at him. Apparently, the vixen had decided to take a nap after giving up on fighting Vivi. "Sorry," Ash apologized, patting King's shell and giving Vulpix an apologetic look. The vixen narrowed her eyes at him then she curled into a ball. Ash glanced at the small purple flame. _I really hope she outgrows the whole showing affection by trying to kill me thing._ He blinked, surprised by the casual nature of thought. _I wonder if this should bother me more than it does._

xxx

Things you might want to know:

Yes, Sabrina having a Hypno (Glace) as her starter/partner is a tribute to Dazed, The Straight Elf, and Traveler.

Rapid Gun is just using Water Gun back to back.

Edited the first chapter so Gore's egg move is Avalanche.

Erika's last name is Magnolia. No, it is not inspired by Fairy Tail, it's taken from a flower.


	9. Chapter 9

Thanks for reading, Favoriting, Following, and Reviewing!

Chapter 9

A Violent Encounter

xxx

Lavender Town was often called Noble Town. The town was a bit small, though it was still far larger than his hometown, Pallet. A town known for its ghost-type Pokemon and the Pokemon Towers. One of the towers held a graveyard solely for Pokemon. Ash stopped and clenched his fists. The other tower was known as the Fog's Tower. It was the home of an incredibly powerful Gengar and the hundreds of ghost-type Pokemon under her control. Fog's Tower was off-limits to all trainers. Even those employed by the League risked time in prison if they entered. Angering the Fog meant risking the people of Lavender, or worse, she could consider it a slight by the League.

Gore snorted and poked him with a hoof. "Sorry, buddy," Ash muttered, giving the boar a half-hearted pat. He ignored the looks of concern he received from all but Vulpix. "Let's try and hurry, we should be at Lavender by nightfall," he shouted over his shoulder at his stationary team. Gore and Bulbasaur squeaked and hurried after him. _I wonder if Daisy or Misty could take the Fog if they used their whole teams._ Bruno likely could, but even he would need a few members of his team to defeat the legendary Gengar.

If Ash were honest, a part of him wanted to challenge the ghost. _Someday, maybe we can face her. But not yet. Definitely not yet. We're probably not ready for a Charizard._ "King, make sure Gore doesn't do anything stupid," the boy told the crab as quietly as he could. King gave him a serious look and clicked. The crab seemed to have guessed what he was referencing. They couldn't risk Gore losing his temper in Lavender, not with so many ghosts lurking.

The swine grunted when he caught up to them. "Nothing for you to worry about," Ash said with a yawn. Gore whined and stomped his hooves. "Throwing a tantrum eh? Maybe I should carry you on my shoulder like old times," he said with a sly smirk. The Piloswine's eyes widened in horror when King and Vulpix turned to Ash interested.

"He used to love being carried around, ya know," the raven-haired trainer explained, ignoring the baleful look he received from his partner. Bulbasaur snorted and narrowed her eyes at Gore as though she just couldn't picture him being carried. "Used to love riding on Wave's back," his smirk widening into a grin. Strangely, Gore ignored his teasing in favor of staring at something down the path.

Laying under the shade of a tree was a large, bipedal Pokemon with a cream colored belly, several raised patches on its brown form, and a tail nearly as thick as Ash. _A Kangaskhan!_ He drew a Pokeball before he even finished the thought. Kangaskhan were incredibly rare and skittish Pokemon that could usually only be found near Fuschia. They were the Pokemon that Fuschia revered most, and the symbol of their Gym. According to his grandfather the great Aoife, partner of the mightiest champion the United League had ever seen, had been a Kangaskhan. His heart fell when he saw the small girl curled up next to it.

Ash blinked. _Where have I seen her before?_ He grabbed Gore's ear harshly when the boar growled. Kangaskhan averaged over seven feet tall and weighed nearly three-thousand pounds. They were called the Parent Pokemon for a reason, the normal-types were at their strongest when protecting something. This one still had a few light, purple, spots that indicated childhood, but it was still best to be careful. She could take them approaching her sleeping trainer as a threat after all. "Let's walk around," Ash suggested tugging on his Piloswine's ear.

He grimaced when the kangaroo turned to stare at him. The trainer sighed, his relief when the Kangaskhan only shook her trainer lightly. Gore sniffed the air a couple times, then relaxed. Ash blinked and let the boar's ear go slowly. _Is it cause she's a female?_ He shook his head, the boar had been perfectly willing to charge a Nidoqueen. _It must be because she's a herbivore._ "Are we going to fight or somethin'?" a familiar feminine voice called.

"Of course!" Ash answered immediately. His opponent was a cute black-haired girl, dressed completely in black with the exception of a long pink scarf. "You're the girl I fought near Viridian forest!"

"Oh yeah! You're the rookie with the spunky pig," Janine said, leaning to stand on one leg.

"You're not a rookie?" Ash asked, raising a brow. He smirked a bit at the spunky pig comment. The smirk faded after a moment. _Is she an early graduate like Daisy?_ He crossed his arms over his chest. _If that's the case, then it's best to start at full throttle._

"Sorta," she responded with a shrug. "I won't take it easy on you this time, not now that I know how strong your partner is," Janine added giving an oblivious Gore a pointed look.

"Yeah, he's strong-" his boast was cut off by a thud. Gore had flopped onto his side and was rubbing himself on the soft grass. Ash sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. _God damn it, Gore. We're never gonna be cool at this rate._ Janine laughed, a silvery sound he would have likely appreciated more if he weren't so annoyed with his partner. "How about two on two?" he asked when her laughter ceased.

"Sure, sure, works for me," the girl replied priming a Pokeball. "Do you remember my Venonat?" she asked as she held the capsule up for him to see. Ash nodded, his mind already preparing for the various new skills a Venonat could have after three months of training. Considering bugs tend to grow quickly, in the worst case scenario, he could be dealing with a Venomoth. Venomoth were tricky opponents with a decent variety of moves. "Well, this isn't her!" Janine chirped, laughing again when Ash gaped. The trainer did his best to ignore the smug look Vulpix sent him and King's amused gurgle.

"Say hey to Crowie," she called, tossing the ball into the air. The Pokemon was a large bat with short blue fur and large ears. The Zubat hissed quietly when the sun's rays hit it. Ash was impressed, usually it took a few minutes for a Zubat to adjust to the sun. "Isn't she adorable?" Janine chirped rubbing the bat between her ears.

"Ye~ah," Ash responded averting his eyes. Adorable wasn't the word he thought of when it came to most blood sucking creatures. Looking at the bat nuzzle her trainer though, he could say she was somewhat cute. Bulbasaur poked him with a vine and used her other vine to point at Crowie. "You wanna try her on," the thirteen-year old stated, glancing between the cow and the bat.

 _She said she wasn't exactly a rookie - whatever the hell that means - so it might be best to take her seriously and use King or Gore. But I need to save Gore for that Kangaskhan, and King is weak to aerial assaults. Then again so is Bulbasaur…. Weak as it is Sleep Powder might be necessary here._ "Sure!" Ash said with a slightly strained smile. Bulbasaur warbled and moved several yards in front of him. "Gore don't interfere," he warned his partner. The swine huffed and shot him a knowing look before returning to rolling in the grass.

 _Zubat use Supersonic, a move that stuns with odd sound waves then bite them. It's a Flying-type so wind manipulation is a threat too. Gust is the most basic wind attack so that's a definite move._ "We're ready!" Ash announced when the girl had stopped fawning over her bat.

"Don't worry, Hopper! You're really cute too!" Janine chirped patting the pouting kangaroo's shoulder. "Air Cutter!" she ordered, pointing at the grass Pokemon. Crowie squawked as her wings were consumed by a blue glow and flapped her wings furiously. Two tiny silver blades of wind raced toward the saurian. She darted around the attacks with ease and raced toward her opponent with the faint white glow of Tackle. "Up!"

"Sleep Powder!" Ash commanded. His heart seemed to stop when she paused and glanced at him uncertainly. Then, Bulbasaur squared herself and shot a spray of dust into the air. Crowie squeaked fearfully and flapped her wings creating a gust of wind that sent the powder back at its master. The saurian blinked as she was surrounded by the powder, then she opened her mouth to charge an Energy Ball. Ash stared at the Zubat. _Even with Bulbasaur hesitating she couldn't launch her Supersonic! She mustn't have much practice with wind manipulation._

"Calm down!" Janine snapped at the panicking bat. The girl glanced at the growing green orb with worry. _I didn't think a rookie's Bulbasaur would be so strong!_ "Fly into a tree!" she ordered, pointing at a particularly large tree for emphasis.

"Fire!" At his command, the saurian shot the unfinished Energy Ball at the fleeing bat. Crowie squeaked and dove to avoid the attack. Bulbasaur slapped the poisonous Pokemon with her vines, making the Zubat crash into the earth. She squawked as she shot a spray of purple powder at the downed Crowie. _I should have warned her!_ "It's no good! Use Leech Seed!"

Crowie squeaked confused when the dust hit her and she felt nothing amiss. "Quick, blow it away!" Janine cried as the cow shot a small seed at the bat Pokemon. Sensing her trainer's urgency the bat flapped its blue wings vigorously in a weak Gust attack. Ash cursed as the weak gust of wind stopped the seed several feet ahead of the bat.

"Tackle, it now!" he barked clenching his fists. Bulbasaur charged the grounded bat with a determined bark. Crowie whined and flapped her wings as hard as she could in her desperation. The bat managed to make it out of the Tackle's path only for the saurian's vines to slap it back down. "Tackle!" Ash called, grinning widely. His Pokemon narrowed her eyes and surged Crowie with a faint glow surrounding her.

She lowered her head and the glow strengthened as she neared the prone bat. Then, her opponent was consumed by a scarlet light. Bulbasaur squeaked as she tripped and tumbled, making Ash wince in sympathy. A small spray of snow shot out from behind the trainer and cushioned her landing. Gore snorted, satisfied, when the cow stood on wobbly legs. "You did great!" Ash told his Pokemon as he knelt next to her and rubbed her head lightly.

"She's a lot stronger than I expected her to be too," Janine mumbled with a small pout.

"Did you think I trainer just Gore?" the boy asked, turning to her with a raised brow.

"Yup," she answered with a nod.

"Why would I do that?" Ash asked scowling at her.

"A lot of people do," the girl mumbled her reply and averting her eyes as she patted Hopper's shoulder. The Kangaskhan glared at Ash as though it was his fault her trainer was sad. The boy winced and averted his gaze.

"Well, we should, uh, finish our last round," he suggested avoiding the suddenly fierce kangaroo's glare.

"Yeah, we should," Janine muttered, wiping her eyes. Hopper wrapped a thick arm around her trainer and cooed.

"Ar-are you okay?" Ash asked, taking a hesitant step forward. The boy bit his lip. It was a stupid question. She obviously wasn't okay, but he wasn't sure what to do. He didn't like dealing with distraught people, he didn't even want to deal with things that bothered him most of the time. _But if someone's crying, I should do something right?_

"I'm good! Some powder got in my eye is all," Janine replied meeting his gaze. She whispered something to Hopper eliciting a reluctant nod from the normal-type. The Kangaskhan walked in front of her trainer and squared herself.

This, this Ash could handle. "Gore," he muttered jerking his head at the girl's Pokemon. The swine stretched and chewed on a hoof before rising. He shook each leg lightly, then turned and glared at his opponent. He pawed the ground and puffed his chest out, gestures that the kangaroo returned without hesitation. Ash blinked, usually the Kangaskhan line was skittish. _Maybe she's fired up to fight for her trainer. If I recall these Pokemon can survive in incredibly cold areas without struggle, and have been known to use Ice moves with great skill._

"Powder Snow!" Janine ordered snapping the boy out of his thoughts. Hopper's chest expanded greatly as she inhaled, then she spat a snowy gust at the unmoving boar. The Piloswine responded by blasting a far larger blast of wind that overwhelmed the normal-type's without difficulty. Hopper squeaked before leaping over the attack. "So that's an Icy Wind from a Piloswine," the girl murmured narrowing her eyes.

"Freakin', kangaroo," Ash muttered, his eyes wide. "Take Down!" he cried, shaking himself from his stupor. Gore snarled and charged his opponent. To the duo's frustration, Hopper darted away from the swine's charge with ease. She cocked a white glowing fist back and rushed the Piloswine. Gore squealed, alarmed, before she smashed it into his side and knocked him off his feet. _That's a Mega Punch!_ "Avalanche!" the trainer ordered when she cocked her fist back again.

Hopper punched the boar's exposed belly twice, then hopped out of the snows path. Ash clenched his fists. _So this is a Kangaskhan!_ _One of the strongest normals in the world would be deadly even as a young adolescent._ He glanced at his rising partner. _We've gotta make her fight straightforwardly._

"Wrap this up! We have to deal with her next!" Janine snapped, giving Bulbasaur a look of such intensity that the cow squeaked and hid behind Ash and King. The crab Pokemon shuffled and chirped, glancing at the kangaroo with fire in his eyes.

"Sorry, buddy, not this time," the trainer muttered, giving the Krabby an apologetic glance. "Bury her in Ice Shards!"

"Comet Punch!" the raven-haired girl howled. Hopper's fists glowed faintly as she wove through the chunks of ice with astonishing speed. Gore stomped his hooves and squealed as he began to create another chunk.

"Just shoot it!" Ash snapped, gritting his teeth. The swine growled, his frustration as he shot the premature Ice Shard at the surging kangaroo. The chunk crashed into Hopper's face, making her stumble and lose control of her technique.

"How did you-," Janine began with a flinch.

"Mud Shot!" Ash barked with a grin so wide it nearly split his face. Gore's brown eyes lit up with as he spat a forceful jet of mud at his stunned opponent. Hopper wailed as she was knocked onto her back and moved to rise with impressive speed. Not swift enough to escape the Piloswine's Take Down. She tumbled several yards away from the determined ice-type with a squeak. Gore roared his triumph as he charged the downed kangaroo again.

"Mega Punch!" Janine snapped gulping. Hopper eyes snapped open at her trainer's call. She rolled out of the swine's path and smashed a glowing fist into his side.

"Gore!" the boy cried when his squealing partner was sent rolling into a tree. Hopper pushed herself to her feet with a weak whine.

"That's a girl!" Janine cried pumping a fist. Gore shook himself vigorously and rose quickly, but swayed and stumbled immediately after.

"Don't rush yourself!" Ash ordered tugging on the bill of his hat. "If you want, you can come back," he told his partner. The swine gave him a furious look and stomped his hoof. Gore squeaked and struggled to stay standing after the action.

"How bout a draw on this round?" Janine proposed patting the one of the injured kangaroo's raised patches. Hopper crooned and licked her trainer.

"Nah, you won," Ash said with a sigh. He averted his eyes from his partner's look of betrayal. He strode to the angry boar then he patted his side lightly. The swine squealed and flailed before his legs finally gave out from under him. "Don't feel too bad," the trainer whispered, rubbing his friend behind his ears. "This one's my fault, not yours," he muttered as he turned back to his opponent. Gore grunted a denial and poked him with a hoof. "You really are a big softie," Ash said with a smirk.

He strode away from the boar, who was too stunned to protest, and stood next to Bulbasaur. "You up for this?" he asked, glancing at Bulbasaur. The cow glanced between her trainer and her opponent with trepidation. "I know she's big, but you're small you know," Ash said, giving the dinosaur a reassuring look. Bulbasaur stared at him wide-eyed with horror. "I mean small and quick!" the trainer corrected, giving her a sheepish look.

"If you keep moving she'll tire out, and 'll be weak enough for Sleep Powder to put to sleep," Ash elaborated further in a whisper. One of Hopper's large ears twitched, and she snorted in a manner he couldn't interpret. Bulbasaur looked back at the comparative giant form of the kangaroo warily. Finally, she squeaked and moved several yards away from Ash. "Ready when you are!" the boy announced with a smirk. He glanced back down at his Pokemon with a warm feeling welling up in his chest. _She's come so far._

The boy turned back to his face his opponent when something hard rammed his side. He squawked as he fell onto his side. He heard Gore roar furiously, King chirp, and Bulbasaur bark at what hit him. Ash groaned as he forced himself to his feet. Gore had something small and silver trapped under his hoof. The Pokemon, a Magnemite, whirred and discharged volts of electricity into the boar, to no effect. A string of electricity hit Bulbasaur making her twitch slightly. _Good thing Grass Pokemon resist Electricity._ "King get back!" the trainer barked when the crab snipped his claws threateningly.

The Magnemite shrieked when he neared and struggled to free itself. "Wedge?" Ash asked, raising a brow. The electric-type whirred again. "Let 'em up!" he told his partner. The moment it was free, the magnet rushed to his chest again and shrieked.

"What's wrong with it?" Janine inquired with a blink.

"Dunno," Ash muttered as the magnet continued to shriek and whir. "Where's Gary, Wedge?" The Magnemite stared at him for a moment before racing off into the trees. "C'mon!" the trainer barked at his team as he ran after the electric-type. Ash hadn't known Wedge for very long, in fact Gary had caught the Magnemite only days before they had left on their journey. But, even though he hadn't known the Pokemon for long, he was certain the magnet wouldn't abandon his trainer without reason. Bulbasaur was by his side in an instant, shockingly Vulpix joined them a heartbeat after, then Gore and King caught up. "Don't lose sight of it no matter what!" he ordered as he pushed himself into a sprint.

His team voiced their understanding instantly. It seemed even Vulpix understood and appreciated the gravity of the situation. "Hey, wait up!" Janine cried, racing after him. "C'mon Hopper!" she said as she leaped onto the kangaroo's back.

A man screaming in agony made Ash's heart feel as though it had been squeezed. As they followed the magnet, shouting, shrieks, and chirps made themselves known to the team. Finally, Wedge rounded a large boulder and whirred a battle cry. Ash stumbled to a stop as his team rounded the boulder as well. He peeked beyond his hiding place. The trainer gulped at the sight that greeted him. Many of the small trees surrounding the dirt path were on fire, some had been knocked over, and bodies of Zubat and Rattata were charred nearly beyond recognition. Men in black shirts with a large, red R on them were barking commands at members of the Ekans, Rattata, Sneasel, and Zubat line. The Rocket's Pokemon had been attacking a group of young Nidos.

Righteous fury burned in his chest. The eldest male couldn't have been more than three years old. The Nidorino was entirely pink, and far smaller than Gore had been as a Swinub. Ash narrowed his eyes when he noticed a lone Houndoom among the group. The Houndoom was a young male, so he couldn't fathom why the Nidos would allow him in their herd. The trainer jumped when a large, brown form hopped to a stop next to him. "Don't hurt the Nidos," Ash ordered quietly when Gore nearly hit one with an Icy Wind.

"What's going on?" Janine demanded jumping off Hopper's back. The kangaroo charged into battle the moment her trainer landed. "Be careful!"

"Rockets," Ash muttered the word as though it was a curse as he turned his attention back to the battle. He grimaced when he saw the unmoving cluster of Zubat Gore had frozen. _They probably won't be getting up anytime soon._ Vulpix was pushing a small Sneasel back with ease. Her ghostly energy may not have harmed the dark-type, but the heat of her Will-O-Wisp was quickly overwhelming the young Pokemon. Gore, and Bulbasaur were fighting three furious Raticate together. The rat Pokemon were having little success with his friends. Gore was too tough to be put down, and Bulbasaur was just too quick to be caught. The trainer grinned when he saw King fighting two Rattata at the same time.

The sound of several Pokeballs being opened made him glance back at Janine. She had released a grinning Haunter, and to Ash's great surprise, an austere looking Ivysaur. The girl's face was pale and her hands shook slightly, but when she spoke her voice was unwavering. "Attack the ones that listen to the Rockets." Ivysaur barked and Haunter cackled as they joined the fray.

"An Ivysaur and a Haunter," Ash muttered, glancing at the other trainer with new respect. He furrowed his brow as he remembered something. "Hey, do you see Wedge?" he asked as he scanned the battle.

"The Magnemite? Nah, I don't," his fellow trainer replied furrowing her brow. "They're going to need our help," she stated glancing at him. Ash clenched his fists as Gore was knocked onto his side. Bulbasaur ran to help him, but was blocked by a Raticate's snapping jaws.

"Sleep Powder!" he barked. The grass Pokemon snarled and slapped her Raticate's eyes with a vine. Then, she shot a green cloud of dust at the Raticate that were rushing Gore. The rats squeaked and stumbled as the dust enveloped them. Ash scowled. _Not even trained enough to resist that technique._ Gore roared and charged into the dust with his Take Down. The swine's charge sent the rats soaring through the air with squeals of agony. The moment they landed the normal-types were engulfed by a purple cloud of dust. "Go help the others!" Ash snapped with a wince. _I hope they didn't kill them._

"They're over there!" a Rocket cried, pointing at the duo's hiding place making them stiffen. The portly man quickly released a Drowzee. "Use Psybeam," he ordered with a vicious smirk. Drowzee snorted at the command and brought its three fingered claws up. Then, the psychic shuddered as a black claw rose from the shadow beneath its feet. The Haunter grinned at the terrified Drowzee as it gathered energy in a claw. The ghost thrust the orb that looked like a shadow, Ash recognized as a Shadow Ball, at its opponent. The orb sent Drowzee tumbling into the boulder, unconscious.

"Put him to sleep then, help, Hopper!" Janine ordered when the ghost approached the prone Psychic with an even wider grin. Haunter pouted petulantly and crossed its arms over chest, but shifted to the Rocket grunt obediently.

"Wait! Please I-I'm sorry! I wouldn't have done it, I swear!" he cried, falling to his knees. The ghost tapped its chin as though it were considering letting the man go.

"Don't play!" Janine snapped so fiercely that the ghost flinched. The Rocket pleaded as the locked eyes with him the young trainers looked away from the specter. "Now go help Hopper!" the girl ordered when the man fell. Ash scoured the area. He still hadn't found Wedge, or Gary for that matter, but his team was easy to locate. Vulpix darted at the Sneasel with a Quick Attack and Scratch combination. _Really need a name for that._ The weasel shrieked as the vixen's claws cut into its belly.

The ice-type spat powdery snow into the vulpine's eyes, then it raked her side with a glowing claw. Vulpix squeaked and backpedaled still in Quick Attack. Sneasel howled and held its claws in front of its face. _Two Ice Punches! It's a long shot, but please work!_ "Use, Fire Spin Shield!" Ash barked tugging on his hat. Perhaps it was her injury, or maybe the fire Pokemon had come to respect her trainer slightly, either way the vixen obeyed. Vulpix whined as she spat an orb of regular fire that quickly moved to form a half circle around its creator.

Sneasel stumbled to a stop just before it would have a hit the shield. Vulpix barked and spat another orb of flame that hit the weasel in its chest and knocked it onto its back. The bipedal weasel rolled away from the vixen with a wail. "Hammer it!" he howled. The vixen narrowed her eyes and squared herself. She howled, and as if it were alive, the Fire Spin moved at its master's call. The shield became an orb larger than Vulpix herself, and shot toward the Sneasel. Their opponent shrieked and wailed as the flame slammed into him, sending him skidding into a tree. "Good job! Now come back!" Ash called as Vulpix sagged.

"Enough! Find those damned kids!" a tall black-haired man who Ash assumed was in charge barked. The Rocket released an angry looking Pinsir. Ash shuddered at the sight of the gray stag beetle. Images of King broken and near death flooded his mind.

"Petal Dance! Mega Punch, full power!" he heard Janine bark. A storm of sharp, glowing, petals engulfed the beetle making it scream and flail in agony. Hopper burst into view with a glowing arm cocked back. Finally, the leaves fell as the kangaroo neared. She smashed her fist into the beetles face with a roar. Ash blinked as the beetle fell. _That was anticlimactic._

"Get up you useless bug!" the Rocket snapped glancing between the Pinsir and Hopper apprehensively. The Rocket shuddered as a grinning Haunter emerged from his shadow. The criminal was hypnotized in an instant.

"Give up," Ash ordered, stepping out from behind the boulder with Janine following a moment after. The three remaining Rockets looked between the glaring Pokemon and the young trainers before rushing to their van. "Ice Shard, Water Pulse, and Acid, stop them no matter what!" he barked. Gore, Bulbasaur, and King voiced their understanding as one and inhaled deeply. The spray of acid grazed one Rockets arm, making him scream and stumble. A large chunk of ice smacked the van's side and bounced off into the men's path. Finally, King chose that moment to fire his Water Pulse, the rippling orb smashed the van's window in with ease.

The men made to escape again, but were quickly surrounded by the members of Janine's team. Haunter cackled when one of the men began to shake and mutter a prayer to the Lord of the Sky. The apparition's grin widened to a maniacal degree. "Gaari," Janine growled, scowling at the ghost. Ivysaur snarled in a manner that reminded Ash a great deal of Pins and took a threatening step toward the specter. Haunter flinched and eyed the saurian warily. The ghost locked its red eyes with the criminals and put them to sleep.

Ash stared at the large Ivysaur. The grass Pokemon was about three feet tall and likely weighed over two-hundred pounds. The flower on its back looked to be elevated slightly as most strong bull's tended to be. _The flower of a male Ivysaur grows into a mighty tree._ Those trees signified the virility and power the Venasaur possessed. A bull's flower beginning to elevate meant its body was preparing for its final evolution. He glanced at Haunter. "Y'all come here!" Ash ordered eyeing the ghost warily.

Ghost Pokemon were well-known for their dark sense of humor. It was likely the ghost saw the man's pleas as a game. "You definitely aren't a rookie," he remarked to himself patting Gore's side. _If Gaari is scared of it then,_ _that Ivysaur is likely on a different level compared to Hopper and Gore._ He blinked when the comparatively small girl began to drag the man by his feet. "What are you doing?"

"We have ta make sure they can't get in the way anymore," Janine replied her tone even and her eyes covered by her bangs.

"You're going to kill them?" Ash asked, taking a step back. Gaari cackled evilly and rubbed her claws together.

"No! Gods, no! We're gonna put 'em in the van!" Janine cried dropping the man. Ash sighed, relieved, while Gaari pouted. The boy knelt and lifted the man by his head.

"Think this one could use less donuts," he muttered as they struggled to carry him to the van. Gore squealed and Ivysaur barked, making the young trainer's jump. Something large slammed into Ash and knocked him onto his belly. He gasped as the breath was knocked out of his lungs. He heard a Raticate shriek before small, rough, hands yanked him to his feet. He blinked blearily as Janine steadied him against the van. King chirped furiously and Bulbasaur barked, a heartbeat later the Raticate squeaked in agony.

"One of them must've been smart enough to have it waiting underground," Janine said as she recalled her Pokemon. "You guys were great," she said attaching the balls to her belt.

"Little bit surprising," Ash muttered, rubbing his forehead. The trainer eyed the hole next to the Houndoom warily. _It escaped back underground then._ He shook his head when the girl offered him a potion. "Are you the one who saved me?" he asked, turning to the Houndoom. The dark-type whuffed. "Thanks," he said, smiling without showing any of his teeth. The dog snorted before striding to him, making Gore stiffen and growl, pawed at his hand. Ash smirked and scratched the fire-type behind his horns.

He frowned its horns were far too small to belong to a Houndoom. The boy inhaled sharply. _This Houndour must be one of the special specimen that spring up every so often._ Size among the Houndour line could vary greatly. A well taken care of adult Houndoom should weigh over one-hundred fifty pounds, with some gifted dogs reaching Arcanine like size. Then there was Champion Karen's demon of a dog. Ash sighed and moved his hand away, making the dog whine. _There's no way it would come without a fight. Right now I need to focus on finding Gary._

"What are you glaring at?" Ash asked, glancing at Gore. His partner huffed and turned away from him. The swine glared at the Houndoom. "Jealous?" he asked, grunting with exertion as he and Janine lifted the Rocket again. The Piloswine snarled and spat a glob of cold mud at a burning tree. "He's totally jealous," the trainer stated with a smirk. King gurgled amusedly and Bulbasaur warbled an agreement. Gore twitched, but ignored them in favor of continuing to put out the flames.

"Completely jealous!" Janine agreed with a sagely nod. They laughed when the boar ignored them again. A furious shriek and a thud made their laughter die in their throats.

"What the hell was that?" Ash demanded scouring the area. He flinched when Houndour bolted as though the devil were on his tail, likely in the direction the Nidos had snuck away in. _Little bastards probably left us in the middle of the fight._ He shook his head this wasn't the time. The trainer glanced at King. The Krabby's form was tense and his eyes had glazed over.

"Dunno, but there used to be a really big pine over there, on that hill," Janine replied pointing to a hill to their right. King snapped out of his daze, then he sprinted toward a group of flaming trees. The Krabby spat a gust of chilly wind and leaped through the flame without hesitation.

"Wait!" Ash shouted extending an arm toward King. He cursed, the crab didn't seem to have heard him. "Gore! Bulbasaur!" he called. They were by his side in an instant. He lifted Bulbasaur and leaped on Gore's back. "After him!" The Piloswine grunted and spat an Icy Wind at the trees that extinguished the flame with ease.

"Wait up!" Janine cried as Gore charged through the fallen trees. She sighed when he ignored her. "Oh, Sky God, Great One, grant me the patience to deal with stupid boys," she muttered as she released Saur. "Follow the Piloswine from earlier!" the girl ordered hopping onto the Ivysaur's muscular neck.

"Go back! I think ya might have missed one!" Ash snarled after Gore barreled through yet another tiny tree. He appreciated the Piloswine's determination, but he didn't see why they couldn't just go around the small trees. "Didn't know King could run this fast, did you?" he muttered glancing at Bulbasaur. She shook her head and snorted. Ash ground his teeth. _What could make him snap like that? Whatever it is, it has to be strong._

He scowled when Gore began to pant. Even the rush of their situation wasn't enough to delay the boar's exhaustion. "Just a bit further and you can go in your ball!" Ash said patting his friend's head. The boy narrowed his eyes at a large tree stump several yards in front of them. The tree that had once been attached to it was a few away. _It almost looks like it got cut. That must be the hill!_ There was another, louder shriek and a cracking sound, then a thud reached his ears. "Gore stop!"

The boar slammed his front hooves down, sending Ash and Bulbasaur flying into a shrub with shrieks. "Is this for earlier?" Ash asked with a groan. He glared when the Piloswine gave him an innocent look. "Anyway, whatever it is, its strong, so we're gonna have to move in more carefully," the raven-haired trainer explained while lifting Bulbasaur out of the shrub. The saurian glared at Gore and hissed. "None of that," Ash said as he rose. The trainer glanced behind them when he heard a rustle. A moment later, a familiar Ivysaur burst into view.

"Why do you keep doing that?" Janine demanded after hopping off her Ivysaur.

"Doesn't matter! We've gotta help King!" Ash stated wincing when he heard another crack. _We're really close to it. In fact, I'd wager it's right around the hill._

"Fine!" the girl bit out as she released her Haunter. Gaari grinned evilly at Ash and his team, but a sharp look from Ivysaur made the ghost back down quickly. Gore and Bulbasaur eyed the ghost as one might a coiled snake. "Let's climb up!" Janine suggested when Ash moved to walk around the hill.

The trainer nodded and gestured for his team to follow him. He nearly slipped on the loose dirt, but Gore steadied him with a hoof. "Thanks bud," he whispered receiving a quiet snort as the boar trudged up the hill. Ash frowned and bit his lip. _Did I push him too far?_ A familiar shriek and shout made him stiffen. He trudged up the hill as swiftly as he could. Ash's lungs burned as he climbed, but he pushed on. Finally, he dragged himself to the top.

Several yards away from the hill, a small Magmar and King were glaring at an opponent that was blocked by a tree's leaves. At the moment Ash didn't care about their opponent or the dark-skinned Rocket standing behind it. He scoured the surrounding trees. His shoulders sagged in relief when he spotted a head of brown spiky hair sticking out from behind a large rock. Gore settled next to him his brown eyes intent on their enemy. Bulbasaur hopped off the boar's back and landed on Ash's other side.

"Do you know that guy?" Janine asked making Ash stiffen. He hadn't even heard her approach.

"He's my brother," the boy explained as he checked Gary's form for any injuries. Slowly, his breathing began to steady. Aria had grown tired of waiting. The Magmar howled and spat a shot of flame at her opponent. A large, rippling orb of water seemed to absorb the flame as it raced toward the Magmar. Aria disappeared in a pink light with a popping sound and rematerialized a few feet away.

"Give up, kid, and I swear I won't hurt you," the Rocket said his brow furrowed. King spat a gust of chilly wind at the man that was blocked by a giant red claw. Ash paled as their opponent, a Kingler, revealed itself. The crab stood taller than Ash's five feet, its four white legs were several times thicker than King's, and its crown was elevated several inches from its shell. What truly caught the boy's eye was the massive left claw it had. He had no doubt the claw was what had cut the tree.

Aria and King charged the crab as one with a flaming fist and a glowing claw respectively. Kingler responded by spitting a large spray of bubbles. Aria shrieked and teleported out of the Bubblebeam's range. King quickly deactivated Vice Grip and used Harden to brace himself. The crab squawked as he was thrown off his feet and into a shrub. Ash winced, then narrowed his eyes. _A Kingler should have been able to produce a much stronger Bubblebeam. It's just getting warmed up._ He ground his teeth. Vine Whip, Icy Wind, and Mega Punch were all but worthless against an adult Kingler's shell. Only Ivysaur could actually hurt the crab king straightforwardly.

"Let's try and hit it with Energy Ball at the same time!" Janine whispered, her voice shaking slightly. The girl was gripping a Pokeball he believed to be Hopper's as though it were a lifeline. "We don't have any strong draining moves, but Gaari should be able to hurt it if its off guard."

"Right," Ash agreed with a nod. He glanced at Gore. The Piloswine wasn't panting anymore, but judging by the way he was leaning against a tree, the summer's heat and the battles they'd fought had clearly taken its toll on the gutsy boar. "You heard her Bulbasaur?" he asked, glancing at the saurian at his side. She snorted noncommittally, her pink eyes focused on the giant crab. The saurian Pokemon squared themselves and began to gather energy in front of their mouths.

"Have it your way, kid," the Rocket muttered with a sigh. "You're a tough one, I'll give you that. "Use-" the dark-skinned man's command was interrupted by Ivysaur's large Energy Ball slamming into the Kingler's side. The crab squawked as it was knocked off its feet. "What the hell?" he demanded, turning to face them. Ivysaur roared a challenge then he surged down the hill.

"Flame Burst, full tilt!" Gary barked pointing at the stunned water-type. Aria inhaled deeply, making her chest expand, and shot a much larger flame at Kingler. The flame exploded on impact drawing a shriek that sound more startled than pained. Bulbasaur blasted the largest Energy Ball she had ever created into the water-type's creamy underbelly. The crab's arm jerked, but it showed no other signs of discomfort. Kingler tried to push itself to its feet, but another Flame Burst knocked it back onto its side.

"Use Shadow Ball!" Janine cried when the Rocket drew a Great ball. The ghost cackled as she gathered a shadowy orb in between her hands. The Rocket's eyes widened, then he quickly released a bull Donphan. The ground-natured elephant trumpeted a challenge before squaring itself and taking Ivysaur's charge. The elephant winced as Gaari's Shadow Ball crashed into its side, but stood its ground.

"Leech Seed!" Ash ordered, before turning to Gore. The exhausted boar met his gaze without hesitation. He pointed at Donphan and Gore rushed down the hill to aid the saurian. Bulbasaur fired two small seeds at the staggering Kingler. The crab grabbed Aria's tail with its shorter claw and threw her into the seeds path. The Magmar flinched when the seeds hit her between her eyes, then she squawked as she hit a tree. The crab monarch narrowed its dark eyes and cocked its dominant arm back in a familiar pose. "Bulbasaur!" the trainer snapped. The saurian surged down the hill with astonishing speed, but as the orb of water grew Ash knew she wouldn't make it.

A small gust of chilly wind consumed the orb. Kingler slung its arm at a still stunned Aria, but couldn't control the now frozen Water Pulse. King chirped and leaped onto the Kingler's back with his dominant claw glowing white. Ash cheered as his Krabby pinched one of Kingler's arms with his Vice Grip. Kingler shrieked and flailed in an attempt to free itself from the smaller crab. After several seconds the Krabby gave up and leaped off the larger crab's back. Kingler turned to the crab with fury in its dark eyes and cocked its arm back. A spray of acid, that was quickly followed by a stream of flame slammed into the water-type's side making it shriek in agony.

"Saur, Petal Dance! Gaari, Shadow Ball!" Janine ordered. Ash glanced at her and then down to the fight. Donphan weathered the ball with only an annoyed grunt as proof that he had felt it. Ivysaur, who had to have been Saur, produced a cluster of glowing petals that raced toward the ground-type with baleful intent. Donphan snorted and jerked its head toward the leaves. A large chunk of stone was torn from the earth and landed in front of the ground-type. The petals crashed into the shield stone, but the rock held strong.

"To think the most basic move a Ground 'r Rock Pokemon can learn is so annoying," Ash, muttered narrowing his eyes. Rock Throw was listed among the least powerful moves by the Pokedex, yet it had just blocked an Ivysaur's Petal Dance. A fairly weak Petal Dance, but the point stood.

Donphan jerked his head again, throwing another impressive chunk of earth at the shocked dinosaur. The bull Ivysaur quickly extended his vines, then he sent them into the earth. "Saur," Janine murmured when the dinosaur took the hit head on. Gaari darted at the bull Donphan like an arrow. The Haunter snarled and cocked her fist back. Donphan turned to her just in time to receive a Shadow Punch to the face. "Confuse Ray, then Shadow Ball!" Janine ordered with a snarl not unlike her ghost's.

Gaari brought her claws in front of her and gathered ghostly energy in her palms. Before the ghost could launch her attack Donphan launched another rock that crashed through her making her shriek so loudly that Ash and Janine covered their ears. The ghost reformed quickly, eyeing her opponent warily.

Gaari like, all other Ghost-types was invulnerable to all non-elemental attacks. They were also incredibly fragile when struck. The Gengar line used the unique abilities ghosts possessed and speed to even the odds. _If Gaari gets hit again, she's done._ "Good job, Gaari," Janine said as she recalled the agonized ghost.

Gore hobbled into view with blood on his tusks and a limp. Ash frowned, but hid his disapproval when Gore turned to him. _Now isn't the time to be worrying about not killing anything._ So, why, even knowing this did the boy's heartache. He recalled his partner for a well-earned rest. "I'm gonna leave Donphan to you."

"Right we got this," Janine said, after Saur pushed the boulder off himself. The Ivysaur looked shook his head and stretched his neck, he looked more annoyed than hurt by the attack.

"You did great," Ash murmured to Gore's Pokeball. He smiled when he received a small shake, then he turned to give his full attention to the fight. The Kingler's claws were drooping in the way Ash knew to indicate fatigue. The evolution to Kingler awarded a Krabby with massive increases in size, strength, and greater control of their element. But, Kingler also tended to tire quicker. _We just have to outlast it._ He furrowed his brow when he noticed Aria was panting. The Magmar line, like nearly all Fire-types, didn't tire quickly unless they used their mental powers up. _She couldn't have done that though, I looked away for thirty seconds!_ The rest of Gary's team had likely been defeated. He couldn't imagine any other explanation for making Aria fight alone.

Ash could vaguely hear Janine barking orders, but was so absorbed in his friend's fight he couldn't make them out. King fired a spray of bubbles that were slapped away as though Kingler was swatting a fly. Aria shrieked a challenge and shot a small Flame Burst. The water-type spat a spray of bubbles that smothered the Burst with ease. A spray of acid hit the Kingler from the right, but it seemed to have barely felt the blow. Ash ground his teeth. _I never thought I'd curse the fact that she's grass-natured._ "You have to use grass moves, girl!" he shouted.

"Icy Wind!" the Rocket ordered, his face set in a scowl. Kingler shot a gust of chilly wind nearly as powerful as one of Gore's at Aria. The fire-type shrieked and flailed as the gust hit her and her body temperature lowered.

"Aria!" he heard Gary cry horror in his tone.

"Rapid Gun! Leech Seed!" Ash commanded with a snarl. King chirped and shot several small concentrated streams of water at the distracted Kingler. The giant crab winced before giving an irritated click at the smaller crab's persistence. The water-type gargled and shot a large stream of water at the Krabby, who shrieked fearfully and leaped out of the way. King was clipped by the giant Water Gun making him spin into a shrub and ripping off parts of his armor. "King, run!" the trainer cried when the Kingler charged his downed friend with its dominant claw glowing.

Glowing vines emerged from the ground and wrapped around Kingler's white leg. The Pokemon tripped, the brief opening allowing King the time to hobble away. The crab gave the small saurian a thankful gurgle, then he cocked his arm back. Kingler removed the energy draining vines with his lesser claw and sagged for a moment. "Energy Ball, full power!" Ash commanded a vicious gleam in his brown eyes.

Bulbasaur barked, a similar gleam in her eyes, and began to charge energy. King's strongest Water Pulse slammed into their rising opponent's side, knocking it over and exposing its weaker underbelly. The cow fired her green blast into Kingler with a shriek. Kingler chirped and flailed as it rushed to rise. "Finish it!" Ash roared.

Bulbasaur and King chirped and shot a Water gun and Acid into its side. Still the Kingler struggled to its feet. Ash gulped as King slumped and Bulbasaur began to pant heavily. The giant crustacean took a threatening step toward his team. "Don't give up!" he screamed scrambling down the hill.

"Ash come back!" he heard Janine cry.

Then, a large orb of flame crashed into Kingler's side from the right and exploded making Ash flinch. The crab shook and swayed, then finally, its legs gave out. "Hang on, I've got the Secret potion!" Ash called as he rushed to his team. King collapsed the strain of the battle proving to be too great for the crab. Bulbasaur wailed and swayed, but managed to steady herself with her vines. The trainer slid to a stop and hit his knees. "Open your eyes buddy," Ash pleaded of the Krabby as he drew the potion.

The Pokemon twitched when the healing spray hit him. After a moment he opened his eyes slightly. "Great job, pal," Ash told the crab with a small smirk. Bulbasaur bumped his arm with her head. "Yeah, you did great too!" the trainer said with a laugh. The saurian moved his arm out of the way and crawled into his lap. He smiled and rubbed her and King lightly. Rustling grass and a light heat alerted him to something approaching him from behind. "What are you doing messing with Team Rocket?" he demanded without turning around.

"Well, hello to you too," Gary muttered, rolling his eyes and taking a seat next to him. Aria lowered herself with a grunt a moment later. Thoughtfully, the Magmar had lowered her heat output enough not to discomfort the humans. Still, Bulbasaur eyed her suspiciously. Ash frowned, but opted not to say anything. Her reaction was perfectly understandable. The Magby and Charmander lines were the Pokemon grass-types feared most. He drew breath to answer Ash's question, but was interrupted by Janine's approach.

"The Rocket got away," Janine announced as she and Saur strode to them. "He must have somethin' that can fly because Saur can figure out where he went," she finished lowering herself to the ground. "Why were you messing with the Rockets?" the raven-haired girl demanded glaring at Gary.

"I didn't mean too ya know," the brown-haired boy muttered with a weak shrug. He took a moment to wipe some dust off his blue shirt. "I just happened to be in Lavender when they attacked."

"They what?" Janine cried as Ash stiffened.

"What happened there?" Ash asked, forcing himself to keep his tone even.

"Team Rocket has taken over Lavender," Gary told him his gray eyes that so closely resembled their grandfather's meeting Ash's gaze.

xxx

Dexter on the Vulpix line.

Among the various fire-types in Kanto, the Vulpix line is the one with lowest destructive power.

But, it is also one of the most versatile lines in not just Kanto, but the world. A Vulpix usually has one of three secondary natures. These secondary natures are Ghost, Psychic, and Dark.

Most Vulpix are capable of using the mysterious Psychic ability Extrasensory, the Dark attack Payback, and the ghostly flames of Will-O-Wisp.

Psychic-natured Vulpix tend to be smaller, slower, and weaker than their sisters. They make up about thirty percent of the population.

Ghostly-natured Vulpix tend to be faster than the other natures. (With the exception of Dark-types) They make up about thirty percent of the population.

Dark-natured Vulpix tend to be larger, faster, possess greater fire attacks, and are physically stronger than the other vixen. They are by far the rarest of all Vulpix, and the most sought after. They make up about 2 percent of the Vulpix population.

Many have two natures, but require training to match the sheer power of a single natured Vulpix. They make up about thirty percent of the population.

Some Vulpix can use all three with equal proficiency, though this is slightly below their sisters' power. These are the second rarest, making up about eight percent of the population.

A.N.

For the record, our Vulpix is of the two natured sort.

As for the Sleep Powder thing, well, it's part of the whole variations among Pokemon.

Ash has finally realized Bulbasaur's talents are in other areas than Powder attacks and poison! Writing him growing as a trainer is fun. Finally figured out the trick to Ice Shard. Sorta.

Aoife -EE-Fe or EE-fyuh. Means Life, beautiful, or radiant. She was one of the first Pokemon's I came up with when creating a history for the verse.

In an ancient tale Aife or Aoife (however the hell you want to spell it) was the fiercest woman warrior in the world. After the hero of the tale defeated her, she bore him his only son Connia.

To my Guest.

Ash just hit a button with Erika. She's not exaggerating when she said she's been trying to get a Bulbasaur for years. The fact that Ash has a cow only serves to anger her more. The one with the female gets to decide what happens with the calves. It's a very sore point tbh.

In hindsight, I probably should have referred to Bulbasaur as a calf, but too late now.

Misty is kinda weird though.

To

D.C. Hours.

I would love the recommendation! Yes, she was pouting.

Writing a story and a world that makes sense isn't easy. Ash's growth rate is one of those things I have an especially hard time with. Should a talented trainer of a few months stand a chance against one of a couple years? My gut instinct is Hell No! But when you count on his and King's talent, Gore's head start, and the unique abilities Bulbasaur possess, their work ethic etc.… Maybe it isn't so impossible. Especially when you consider the asinine crap I put him through.

Unless the experienced trainer is just as talented and driven. In which case they're pretty much screwed.

Ash's arrogance really doesn't help his cause. I think I face palmed while writing his challenging Misty right after Gore evolved.

Btw, the size for the average Houndoom is somewhere between a big gray wolf and a dire wolf. The big Houndour Ash saw was much smaller than an adult Houndoom would be.


	10. Chapter 10

I own nothing here, please support the official release!

Episode 10: A Nightly Stroll

 _xxxxx_

 _Most people go on their journey, and the worst thing that happens is they run into a Magmar or something, but we get a criminal organization with dreams of conquering our region._ Ash rubbed his forehead with his index finger, and patted his partner with his other hand. Gore snorted and nudged him. "I'll go to sleep in a bit buddy," he told the boar while staring at the cloudy night sky. The Piloswine narrowed his eyes at him, as though he was trying to see through him before lying back down on his side.

Tomorrow morning they would discuss the situation in Lavender. Ash has wanted to talk the moment they were able but Gary and his team had been too exhausted to stay awake after dinner. He glanced at his brother. There were small rips in his pant legs and a gaping hole in his shirt, but other than that the boy hadn't changed much. The familiarity was a bit comforting, though he didn't fully understand why.

Perhaps it was because he hadn't seen his mother or sister in over three months, and had only seen his grandfather on the video phone. He felt his chest tighten at the thought. Ash missed home cooked meals, swimming with Wave in the bay, he even missed Acaya's over affection and his mother making him clean. Being a trainer was everything he had ever wanted, but he still missed Pallet.

 _Regardless of whatever happens tomorrow, I'm going home for a while. We can train with Gramps for a bit too, so we don't fall behind schedule._ He nodded and rubbed his eyes. Gore snorted and poked him with a hoof again. Ash sighed and moved to lean against the boar. He smiled when the Piloswine relaxed immediately. It was still so hard to believe that this was the tiny piglet that he had woken up to more than five years ago.

His partner stiffened and growled quietly. Ash's eyes snapped open. "Quiet, you'll wake the others," he told the boar stroking his side soothingly. Gore grunted urgently and nudged him. "There's something out there," the trainer whispered as he rose slowly. The boar moved Bulbasaur off his side with a hoof gently and rose as well. "Lead me to it," Ash instructed as he glanced around the camp.

Crowie, Saur, and Hopper were curled up together next to Janine's pink tent fast asleep. Aria and Vulpix were resting on the other side of the camp with their tails in the fire. Gary and the Cubone that was with him, but apparently didn't belong to him, were resting a few yards away from them in Gary's tent. Ash sighed quietly. _Didn't wake any of them._

Gore snorted and shuffled. "Let's go," he told the impatient boar as the Piloswine scurried out of their camp. Ash tiptoed after him with a final glance at his team.

"Have you locked onto it," he asked after they had been walking for a few minutes. He glanced around at the trees around them suspiciously. Ash had spent more time than was responsible exploring the corral at night, but walking at night in the woods near a town known for ghosts was something else entirely. The boy half-expected a Gengar to jump out of every other shadow. He shuddered and tugged on the bill of his hat. Gore grunted a denial and lowered his nose to the ground again.

"If you don't find it soon we're going back," Ash muttered tugging on the bill of his hat. The swine chuffed low to the ground, dislodging dirt, and hopefully allowing the boar to find what he was looking for.

The trainer stiffened when he heard his friend growl. He nearly jumped when a bush a few yards in front of them rustled. Gore's growl deepened as a black form with an orange muzzle and white bone like rings around the bottom of its legs pushed through the bush. The layer of bone on its head, and the two lines of bone running along the dog's back made it easy to identify. The beast was a Houndour that was closer to the size of a young Houndoom. "Gore, calm down," Ash murmured as he fell to a knee. The sun glared at his partner, but stopped growling.

"C'mere," the trainer whispered extending a hand. The dog sniffed the air and glanced around the area carefully before trotting to the boy slowly. It froze and crouched when the Piloswine pawed at the ground. "He's not going to hurt you," Ash said quietly as he stroked Gore's side gently. The boar gave the dog a look that said the opposite, then glanced away when Ash turned to him. Houndour eyed the giant pig suspiciously as it crept toward the boy.

"You're the guy from earlier aren't you?" the raven-haired child asked as the dog came within arm's reach. He smiled slightly when Houndour nuzzled his hand. _Why is he alone? No matter what a dog's nature is, they're still social creatures, they need to be with others to be happy._ "Where are the Nidos you were with?" Ash asked as he rubbed the fire-type behind his ear.

Houndour blinked at him and tilted his head to the side. "The ones that you fought with," he explained. The canine blinked again before snorting and licking his hand. _I wonder if they just happened to be near each other when the Rockets attacked them?_ "Do you sense anything else?" Ash inquired, glancing at Gore. The boar grunted without taking his eyes off of the dog. _As I thought he's really alone. There's only one reason he would be alone._ He felt his chest ache at the thought.

Dog Pokemon had been known to fall into depressions that they never recovered from after losing their pack. Ash bit his lip and gave the canine a considering look. _I don't really need another fire-type. But, Vulpix will never be able to keep up with the power the boy's possess, not to mention the power Bulbasaur will have as a Venasaur._ With great effort he suppressed the urge to grin at the thought of having a Piloswine, Kingler, Ninetales, and a Venusaur on his team. _Given his size he won't have an issue with frailty either._ After a moment he nodded.

"Would you like to have a pack?" Ash asked, licking his lips. Houndour's light brown eyes lit up and he panted excitedly. "Then why don't you come with me?" the trainer offered, reaching into one of his many pockets. The black dog stiffened and eyed him carefully as he drew a Pokeball and his Pokedex. Ash held the items up for the dog to sniff. "One of these will help me make you stronger, and the other will be where you stay until I can let you out," he explained when Houndour examined Dexter and the capsule. "This is my Pokedex, it calls itself Dexter apparently, and it'll tell me what kind of things to teach you and what you already know," he elaborated further after a heartbeat.

Houndour yipped and sat on his haunches. "This won't hurt a bit," the trainer told the dog as he patted the Pokemon lightly. " _Houndour the Dark Pokemon. Houndour travel in packs and communicate through barks to surround their prey. This Houndour is male and is two years old. He knows the moves, Ember, Bite, Odor Sleuth, and Flame Burst."_ "Odor Sleuth and Flame Burst," the boy muttered narrowing his eyes.

Odor Sleuth was a technique that could not only locate Ghosts, it also allowed the user to hit them without the power of an element. _The ability to hit 'em is going to be a bit unneeded in the future though._ Powerful dark Pokemon's bodies had such immense dark energy flowing through them that they didn't need to use elements to hurt ghosts. Of course, Houndour wasn't that powerful, so the move's second application was still very useful. _But he will be someday if I have anything to say about it._

Flame Burst wasn't an incredible technique by any means. It was just a ball of fire that exploded on contact, but the level of fire manipulation involved was beyond most Houndour. _Either he's brilliant, or something taught it to him._ After a moment he shrugged. _Doesn't matter, I guess. He has it._

"That's a good boy," Ash told the dog with a smile - again careful to avoid showing his teeth - as he patted the dog. Gore whined and nudged him hard enough to nearly knock the boy over. "You're good too, Gore," the trainer said with a laugh as he nudged the boar back. He grimaced when the Piloswine gave him a sloppy lick. _That's never gonna change, is it?_ "This, will be your Pokeball," he explained as he primed the orb. The dog flinched and eyed the expanding capsule warily.

"It's just getting ready for you," Ash explained with a smirk. The dog Pokemon relaxed but continued to stare at the Pokeball as though he were expecting it to attack him at any moment. "I'll let you out when it's time to eat," the trainer promised as he pressed the ball to the dog's nose. Houndour disappeared in a scarlet light before being sucked into the capsule. The ball shook several times, before the dog realized it wasn't hurting him and relaxed. "Number five," Ash said as he patted his partner's side. Gore snorted and licked the orb.

"Let's get on back to camp. We need to get to sleep, we'll have a busy day tomorrow," Ash told his friend as he rose. Gore grunted an agreement before lowering his nose to the ground. "You forgot where camp is didn't ya?" The Piloswine ignored his grin and trotted away with his nose glued to the ground.

xxxx

"The League really needs to make having a Gym mandatory thing for every town," Ash muttered as he rubbed his temples. The regular gyms paled in comparison to the Eight, but they still would have several adult Pokemon under their control. The Rockets were dangerous, but surely even they would think twice about messing with a town protected by a few Ursaring.

"Yeah, Daddy and my Uncles say the same thing all the time," Janine said with a nod.

"Daddy," Ash repeated with a snicker.

"I-I meant Dad!" the girl snapped hiding her face in her scarf.

"Su~re," Ash sang patting Gore's side.

"Guys, I think we should focus on the situation at hand," Gary said giving them dry looks. The boy cleared his throat when they turned back to him. "As I was saying, Mr. Fuji was the only one who could fight so when he realized he couldn't win, he gave me a few of his Pokemon and sent me to go get help while he stalled them," the boy explained as he drew a two worn Pokeballs and one new one.

"So why didn't you use them?" Janine asked furrowing her brow.

"These are Marowak," Gary explained, holding up the two worn Pokeballs.

"Well, that explains that then," Ash muttered rolling his eyes. Gore snorted an agreement before returning to his staring contest with Houndour. _I still can't believe those two get along so well._ He glanced at Vulpix, who was curled up with Aria next to the fire. The vixen was looking at Houndour with a baleful gleam in her golden eyes. _His life may be in danger. At least she likes Aria._ Bulbasaur snorted from her place in his lap and looked up at him confusedly. "They're a small race in an area ruled by guys bigger than our Gore. In order to survive the harsh world they live in they became vicious…. Even to things that couldn't possibly hurt them," he explained glancing into her now horrified pink eyes.

"Still, we're gonna need them," Janine mumbled leaning back onto Saur's side. "We need to get into Lavender, and the only way we're gonna be able to do that is by going under the city's walls," she continued when Ash and Gary gave her confused looks.

"There are over a hundred Rockets," Gary said, staring at the girl as though she were insane. Ash smirked when he saw Aria's eyes light up.

"Yeah, but it's like two-hundred miles ta Saffron-

"Two-hundred and twenty-six," Ash corrected.

"And Hopper's max is like, uh, thirty miles per hour with me on her back, and I don't know any other towns near here," Janine continued as though Ash hadn't interrupted her.

"She has a point," Ash conceded rubbing his chin. "But there's no way a couple of Marowak'll be willing to work with people they doesn't know," he continued glancing at Gore. _If only he or King had Ancient Power._

"S~o," Janine intoned turning to Gary.

"I don't ha-," Aria hooted and shook her head emphatically. "I have a Diglett, and an Eevee with Dig, and the Cubone might be willing to help," the brown-haired boy admitted looking pained.

"It's settled!" Janine chirped as she patted Saur's head.

"Gary, was there a blue-haired guy with a Growlithe there? Or a redhead with an Arbok?" Ash asked, tugging on the bill of his hat. Gore and Bulbasaur stiffened and turned to give Gary their full attention. For the first time since breakfast, King crawled out of the puddle he had created. The crab gave Ash a click then turned to Gary with a glare. Houndour blinked, confused by the change in his playmate

"Yeah, actually, there was, they had Meowth and a Lickitung too," Gary answered averting his eyes from the team's suddenly intense gazes.

"Then count us in," Ash muttered with a snarl reminiscent of Gore's and a vengeful gleam in his brown eyes.

"Wait a minute!" Gary cried, drawing another Pokeball. "My Abra can teleport me to the nearest settlement!" he continued with a relieved smile.

"Wait, you have an Abra? Why the hell didn't you use Teleport to get away from the Rockets?" Ash demanded with narrowed eyes.

"She got hit by a Murkrow, and I couldn't exactly grab my potions while they were attacking us!" Gary snapped back. Aria puffed her chest out and glared at Ash, a threat Gore and King were all too happy to return.

"Stop it!" Janine snapped. "We need to work together to get through this!" Saur hissed quietly, making Bulbasaur hide her face in Ash's chest and King and Aria stiffen. Vulpix and Houndour shifted awkwardly when Gore turned to glare at the impressive Ivysaur. Janine patted Saur's neck and Ash grabbed Gore by his ear.

"Let it go," the boy said quietly.

"Teleporting won't work here anyway," Janine added with a sigh.

"Why not?" Gary asked, his tone nearly challenging.

"Cuz nothing can Teleport anywhere around Lavender," Janine answered, her tone making it seem as though it should have been obvious.

"Aria can," Gary countered with a scowl. Ash gave the small Magmar a considering look. She had used Teleport at least twice by his count, but she'd also tired, so quickly that she couldn't avoid an Icy Wind.

"She's a Magmar," Janine responded with a shrug. She blinked when they still looked confused. "Magmar, can learn Dark and Ghost-type moves, so the incredibly strong ghostly energy doesn't bother them as much when they Teleport," she explained in a didactic tone. "A member of the Abra line might die if they tried." Gary paled and clutched the Abra's Pokeball tighter.

"What do we do after we get into Lavender? I doubt the Rockets are just gonna let us into the Pokemon center," Ash said leaning onto Gore again.

"Your Houndour is really big, he's the one from yesterday right?" Janine began giving the black dog a considering look.

"Yeah," Ash responded slowly.

"He's really big," she continued narrowing her eyes.

"Are you going somewhere with this?" Gary cut in rolling his eyes. The boy flinched when Saur glared at him.

"Maybe he's special or maybe…."

"Maybe what?" Ash demanded, ignoring Saur's glare. In the short time he had been a trainer he had had seen far worse than a bull Ivysaur.

"He might be a part of Hellfang's pack," Janine said with a nod. "When my sis died, her Houndoom was released around here and took charge over the Houndour around here," she added when she saw they didn't understand.

"Why would that affect Houndour?" Ash inquired furrowing his brow. "I wasn't calling you buddy," he said when the dog turned to him.

"Pokemon that live with really amazing Pokemon tend to become strong themselves," Janine explained. "Like the giant Onix of Mt. Hideaway are so big because the Onix King himself used ta live there and affected those Onix's ancestors," she finished rubbing her chin.

"And what makes you think your sister's Houndoom is that strong?" Gary asked with a snort.

"Cuz she was the champion," Janine answered with her chin high.

"By the Sky God, your "sister" is Karen," Ash muttered his eyes wide. "Then that means Hellfang is the Houndoom that wiped the floor with Elite Four Ace's Pokemon?" he continued with a dazed look in his eyes. Usually, when a new Champion was selected they had to prove themselves by fighting with a member of the Elite Four or their predecessor. A six on six full battle with no time limit in front of a hundred thousand people and televised to the entirety of the United League. Then Champion Bruno had opted to forego the near millennia old tradition and gave the title to his daughter at the United Conference.

Many had been furious with his dismissal of the tradition, but none angrier than Ace Blackthorn. The patriarch of the Blackthorn clan had flown to the Indigo Plateau and demanded a battle of the young Champion. Ash didn't exactly know what else happened, all he knew was that Karen had accepted the challenge. The Dragon Master had won three of the five rounds, he seemed to have been on his way to a decisive victory. Then Karen released her partner.

It had been over six years ago, but Ash remembered the beast as though it was yesterday. The Houndoom stood taller than any Arcanine and was twice as wide. Where most Houndoom had horns that curved back, it's horns shot up and ended in two points that looked as though they could pierce anything. Shielding the great dog was an armor of bone that began near his throat and seemed to spike out in every direction. He was utterly magnificent. Ash respected Master Ace for refusing to back down even in front of such a beast.

Still, the battles that followed were little more than a slaughter.

"Please don't tell Master Bruno about what I did earlier," Gary pleaded covering his face with his hands.

"You mean chickening out?" Janine asked, tapping her chin thoughtfully. Now, Ash could see how Gaari had accepted the girl as her trainer.

"Yes that!" Gary snapped. "Please?" he pleaded again with a weak smile.

"I think we should focus on the whole Hellfang thing," Ash interrupted raising a hand. As much fun as it was to see his brother humiliated like this they had more important things to deal with at the moment. _Like the incredibly powerful criminal organization less than three miles away from us with virtually every advantage one could want._ "Where do you figure he is?" he inquired, turning to face Janine.

"He's been captured," She responded with a shrug. She snickered as Ash and Gary gaped at her. "Sis is buried in Lavender, Hellfang wouldn't let anything happen to her grave," the girl finished in a mumble as she averted her eyes.

"Why not just kill him then?" Ash asked quietly as he rubbed Bulbasaur's side. The saurian wrapped her front legs around one of his making him smile.

"I dunno," Janine responded with a furrowed brow.

"Because he's Karen's partner," Gary muttered stroking his chin. He continued, when they turned to him with looks of confusion. "Master Bruno wouldn't be able to go all out on his beloved daughter's partner, and I'm guessing his team will feel the same way. If they control Hellfang they can beat Master Bruno."

"And with Lady Lorelei in the Sevii Islands there's no one in the League who can stand up to Hellfang," Ash added, his eyes wide in horror. Master Ace was strong, but the man was nearly sixty and his team wasn't much younger. Master Koga's poison would be worthless against a dark-type. _There's no way Koga, the idiot, or the Eight could defeat Hellfang in a fair fight._ Something cold settled in his belly when another realization settled. _The only one not associated with the League that could beat that demon would be Gramps, so they'll try and get rid of him too!_ Judging by his pale face Gary had come to the same conclusion.

"My Dad could," Janine argued with a pout. Saur gave her a long suffering look.

"I'm sure he could, but I don't think even Master Bruno could win against a legendary Pokemon without his head in the game," Ash muttered holding Bulbasaur a bit tighter.

"You think-" the girl's question was cut off by her laughter. "My Dad isn't Uncle Bruno, my Dad's Master Koga!" Janine explained between laughs.

"I'm so confused," Gary confessed wide-eyed. Ash just shrugged. He had heard that many of the leaders of the Eight were close from Daisy. It wasn't much of stretch that she'd be close enough for her to call Karen her sister.

"How did they catch him anyway?" he asked furrowing his brow. The Rockets he had fought had been weak at best. Discounting the Nidoking they had apparently been given, even Jessie and James didn't have anything as strong as Gore on their teams. _And that was over a month and a half ago._

"Even a Dragonite can be defeated by an Ekans if they're caught off guard," Gary lectured with a nod.

"Quit quoting the old man!" Ash snapped, glaring at his brother.

"He has a point, though," Janine admitted, rubbing her chin. "Houndoom really like deer, so they probably lured him in by killing one," she added with a nod. The girl rose quickly. "We can plan while we walk."

"Sounds about right," Ash muttered pinching the bridge of his nose. Many species were just as intelligent as humans. Dog Pokemon were not among them when food was concerned. He groaned. _That actually kinda sounds like something that Gore would fall for._ The boy shook his head vigorously. He would have to deal with that at some point.

"I'll let you out when I need you," Ash muttered as he recalled Houndour, Vulpix, and King. He received a happy whuff from Houndour and an understanding click from King. Vulpix merely huffed and stretched a final time before being consumed by the scarlet light. "You're never not gonna have an attitude are you," he muttered as he attached her capsule to his belt. "You'll be with me," Ash told Bulbasaur. She crooned and climbed onto his shoulder as he rose.

"Gore," he mumbled as he turned to face his partner. The boar snorted with a stubborn gleam in his brown eyes. "You know you're too big," Ash said, crossing his hands over his chest. The Piloswine grunted and turned away from him. The trainer sighed and rubbed his temples. _Five Pokemon and only two aren't difficult!_ "Tell ya what, when we find those two, I'll let you fight the Nidoking," he offered as he fell to a knee next to the swine.

He smirked when his partner twitched. "I promise I'll be fine, so just this once, make my job easier?" he requested as he held up the boar's Pokeball. Gore turned to him with an unusually serious look and his jaw set. "We'll be fine," Ash repeated patting the boar's side. The Piloswine stared at him for a moment before licking him and Bulbasaur. "Ya just can't help yourself," Ash said with a twitching brow. The boar butted him playfully as he was recalled.

"Ready?" Janine asked with a grin.

"Yeah," Gary answered with clenched fists.

"Of course!" Ash responded with a smirk.

xxxxx

A.N.

I think I'll call them episodes now.

Sorta surprised by the Houndour love. I had always planned on adding him anyway though, so it works out. The whole point in that Dexter section on the dark-types actually.

Also surprised Vs Erika is my most popular chapter. I thought people hated her. Maybe I made her more likable?


	11. Chapter 11

I own nothing, please support the official release!

Rewatched the battle with Erika and realized something. She wasn't the one who forbade Ash from entering the Gym. Her Gym Trainers did, she had no idea. So the majority of the bashing she gets is for something she didn't even do.

That really sucked to realize even though I don't like the anime version of her.

Episode 11

Vine Wrapped

xxxx

"How much longer are we going to sit here?" Gary inquired with a sigh.

"As long as they're eating," Ash replied, his eyes focused on the Rockets. He nearly groaned when the young couple kissed. _They've been flirting for an hour!_ He turned to stare at the Spearow circling the criminals in the sky. _Ten minutes, then I'm giving them to Gore and King for target practice. Better yet, it'll be Vulpix._

"Let's just find another spot, I'm sure there's another good one around here," Gary suggested pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Nah, cuz the moment we leave, they're going to move," Janine responded with a shrug.

"She's right, you know," Ash pointed out while patting Bulbasaur's head. The saurian barely noticed, her nervous gaze fixed on the predators in the sky.

"Happens eve~ry time," the girl said with a nod. Crowie squeaked quietly as though in agreement.

"That's ridiculous!" Gary snapped rolling his eyes.

"See! Ya mentioned it and now they're leaving!" Janine intoned with a grin.

"That's a… coincidence," Gary muttered, his eyes wide.

"It's not," the dark-haired girl stated with certainty.

"Can we just dig the damn hole?" Ash interrupted as he rose. Bulbasaur hopped off him and took a few moments to enjoy the sun's rays as she stretched. They turned when Gary released his Diglett and Eevee. Diglett was a mole Pokemon that looked to be about six inches tall, it had a big, pink nose and an extra thumb on each paw. Ash furrowed his brow when the Eevee hid behind Gary's leg. The little fox eyed Bulbasaur as though she was a hungry Houndoom intent on making it her next meal. "What's wrong with your Eevee?" he asked, glancing down at Bulbasaur. The cow tilted her head to the side as she stared at the cowering fox with confusion.

"She reacted the same way to Saur," Janine noted tapping her chin.

"When I found her she looked like she'd been hit by a Vine Whip, so maybe she got into a fight with an Ivysaur or something," Gary said with a furrowed brow as he knelt to lift the shivering vixen. Eevee calmed slightly when the boy began to rub her behind her eyes, but she continued to glare at Bulbasaur.

"Well, I guess she can stand watch then," Ash offered with a shrug. The boy knelt and lifted Bulbasaur onto his shoulder. "Watch the trees for birds and bats," he muttered. The saurian snorted and turned her gaze on the surrounding trees. _They're weak, but you don't need to_ be _strong when you have Zubat and Golbat._ A cold feeling settled in his stomach. _Even if this is the only option we have, it's reckless at best. We slip up and we'll die._

"Can you stand watch?" Gary asked quietly as he stroked the vixen's side gently. Eevee crooned before leaping off his shoulder. "Good girl," the brown-haired boy said with a small smile. "I need you to use Dig as quickly and quietly as possible, and get us under the wall," he told the ground-type mole. Diglett squeaked before scurrying to follow the command.

"I should get me a Nido," Janine mumbled as the mole began to tear into the earth at an unnatural speed. "So one last time, everyone know what to do?" she asked louder.

"Of course!" Gary responded with irritation in his tone. "We try to find Hellfang and Mr. Fuji on our way to the center. When find the center, we defeat the Rockets guarding it and call Sabrina, then try to stay hidden until she can get some trainers here!" he snapped. Ash narrowed his eyes. It seemed he wasn't the only one beginning to understand their situation.

"Just checking," Janine mumbled with a pout.

"I was wondering, wouldn't it be better to split up?" Ash asked glancing at the kunoichi. "You were trained in the ninja arts, so you can probably sneak around without much trouble and find your sister's Houndoom," he continued when she looked confused.

"Yeah, that would work, but the thing is, my Dad would have a hard time getting around Misdreavus and Haunter, and they've definitely got some of them by now," she explained, leaning against a small tree. Ash couldn't help but notice the anxious look the girl was sending the hole that Diglett had disappeared in. "Besides that Rocket from yesterday would be a tough one to beat on my own, if I could beat 'im, and there are some of 'em that are way stronger than him," she finished with a scowl.

"Way stronger than that guy," Gary repeated paling slightly.

"One of their Executives, Archer I think, gave Uncle Eric a lot of trouble back in the day," Janine said after a moment. "And everybody knows how strong Giovanni was," she added quietly averting her eyes.

Ash stiffened and scowled at the name. Twelve years ago Giovanni Mariani was one of the most admired men in the United League. He was so respected, that when the time came for Champion Agatha to retire many Gym Leaders had pushed for him to be her successor. It seemed the entirety of Kanto and Johto had been shocked when the woman selected her adopted son instead. A significant portion of those leaders had considered her selecting Bruno a black mark on an otherwise impressive reign. According to what his grandfather had told him accusations of nepotism were common after the announcement. Of course, no one dared to accuse the Champion to her face.

Ash couldn't find it in himself to fault them for that. Anyone who would take pride in being called the Witch of Lavender was someone to be cautious with. Shortly after the Champion's inauguration Giovanni disappeared for over a year. The hero returned as the leader of Team Rocket. Ash clenched his jaw. _That war, those terrible four years… No matter how you slice it was all because he didn't get his way._ He felt sick when he came to a realization. _Gods, if Agatha had chosen him this region would be under Team Rocket's thumb already._

He blinked when he saw a small hand waving in front of his face. "What?" he snapped crossing his arms over his chest.

"We can go under now!" Janine responded with a small frown as she pointed at the large hole with a proud Diglett in front of it.

"Oh, right, sorry 'bout that," he apologized with a flush.

"We're cool! I'm going in first!" Janine said over her shoulder as she strode to the hole.

"No, my Diglett I'm going in first!" Gary snapped as he and Eevee slid into the hole after Diglett.

"Like kids," the trainer muttered, rolling his eyes. Bulbasaur turned to look at him curiously. "Just remembered something," he whispered. "Will you be okay underground?" Ash asked with a furrowed brow. She warbled and butted his cheek, making the boy wince slightly. _I should really try to find her a better influence than Gore._

xxxxx

"I heard they only let themselves be trained by girls," Janine observed tilting her head to the side. Vulpix hissed at Diglett when he tried to approach her. The mole squeaked and scurried away from the vixen when she swiped at him. Fortunately for Ash, Gary's attention was on the sky. He sighed, relieved before turning to observe their surroundings.

Fortunately, the area was deserted and didn't seem to have been used for some time. _Actually, that's probably why Janine had us come out here._ Well, that was what he inferred from the grime on the windows and the chilly feeling in the area. The white houses of the neighborhood all had purple roofs. He winced when he saw a brown door that looked to have been torn off its house. _A Gengar probably ran wild around here._

"Well, it certainly wasn't easy," Ash muttered with a scowl. He yanked Vulpix off the ground when she pawed the ground in front of an unimpressed Wedge. _Good thing Gary has so many small Pokemon._ He glanced down at Bulbasaur, who was staring at the still glaring Eevee, and then at Vulpix who was glaring at Wedge. "Enough!" he snapped. Vulpix turned away from her victims reluctantly and looked at him. "I need you to make that ghosts don't get the drop on us." The vixen stared at him for a moment before hissing and glancing away.

"We should hide the hole and get out of the open," Janine suggested as she stretched. Crowie flew from her trainer's shoulder to scour the area with her Supersonic. The Zubat flew over the plain white houses twice before soaring back onto Janine's shoulder. "Nothin' at all," the kunoichi announced. "I'm going to have her check behind the wall to be safe." Crowie squeaked petulantly. "Not that I think you missed anything!" the girl added quickly.

"Good idea. Don't you figure that you should release that Venonat about now?" Ash asked. On top of their Supersonic, Venonat had excellent vision, and telekinetic attacks. While her psychic abilities would be a bit limited by the environment, Venonat would still be incredibly helpful.

"I, uh, left her with my Aunt Aya," Janine told him averting her eyes. Gary gave her an odd look, then he shrugged and continued to keep watch.

"Okay," Ash responded with a shrug as he searched for something to cover the hole with. _A board would be too obvious and there aren't any doors. Not that it would matter, that would be just as obvious._ He shrugged and strode to the door. He lifted the top of the door without much difficulty, but found dragging it to be far more difficult. "Help me out, right?" the boy called to his Pokemon. Bulbasaur scurried to his side with her vines extended while Vulpix sauntered toward him. "Don't rush yourself now, I know you have tons of important things on your mind, princess," Ash muttered rolling his eyes.

The vixen glared at him before lowering herself to help push the door. Ash grunted as they moved the door. _If the boys were out this would be easy._ He shook his head, dismissing the thought. King's reaction to seeing a strong Rocket would probably be to challenge them. Honorable, but not the best for such a delicate situation. Houndour seemed well-behaved, but he had only been caught last night Ash couldn't completely trust the dog to be quiet. Not that he particularly trusted Vulpix, but he didn't have any other choice at the moment.

Gore was Gore.

The boy snarled as he shoved the door over the hole. Ash coughed when dust flew into his face. "All clear?"

"Yup!" Janine responded with a grin.

"Then, let's go," Gary said, turning to face them "It's already eight and we have an entire town to cover to get to the center," he finished lifting Eevee onto his shoulder. Wedge floated on his other side, while Diglett was returned to his Pokeball.

"Be careful and be quiet," Ash told his Pokemon in a whisper. Vulpix rolled her eyes and trotted in front of him. Bulbasaur remained by his side.

xxxxx

His earlier assumption had been correct. The part of Lavender they had entered in was abandoned. _Somehow I pictured something more dramatic._ It was smarter to enter the deserted part of the Noble Town though. "Why do we have to patrol here? No one has lived here for years!" a nasally voice demanded quietly. Ash stiffened and glanced down at Bulbasaur. The saurian's ears perked up, then she hissed and nudged his leg. The trainer gulped, he couldn't tell where the voice was coming from. _What do I do?_

"Hide!" Janine hissed as she and Crowie darted behind a rose bush. Gary and his Pokemon sped behind a bush near her hiding place. Ash glanced to his right, and found an alley. He moved to hide in it, but was cut off by Vulpix. The vixen hit his leg with a paw and pointed to a house with a large, broken window on the other side of the street. The boy looked between her and the alley with a furrowed brow.

"C'mon, ya can't say this isn't stupid!" the nasally voiced complained again, this time far louder than before.

"Shut up and do yer job! Or else the boss'll have your head!" a boyish voice growled. They were getting closer. Vulpix snarled and spat a spark of flame at his foot. He squawked, then turned and sprinted to the house with his Pokemon on his heel.

"Locked," he muttered after trying to open the door. He bent and lifted his Pokemon quickly, drawing a surprised squeak from Vulpix, and rushed to the window. They squawked as Ash tossed them through the window. The boy hissed when a few shards of glass cut into his palms, but managed to push himself onto the windowsill and slide into the house.

Bulbasaur crooned and nudged his injured hand gently. "It's okay, I promise, just be quiet for now," Ash whispered as he lifted her in his lap with his other hand. Vulpix glared at him when he extended a hand to her. "Fine, but be quiet and stay close," he whispered rolling his eyes. The vixen huffed, albeit quietly, and turned her back to him.

"But I still don't get-"

"Look once it's done, it's done! Check the houses!" a new, deeper, older voice interrupted. Ash's breath quickened when he heard boots crunching on gravel near him. "Damn kids these days complain 'bout everything," the man muttered as he turned the door handle. The man snarled when the door wouldn't open and began to turn it more insistently. A Pokeball being opened made him stiffen. The hairs on the back of his neck rose and Bulbasaur burrowed deeper into his side. "Alright then use-" his command was cut off by a screeching sound reminiscent of pieces of metal scraping against each other. "Where the hell did this-"

"Flame Burst! Swift!" Gary barked, making Ash's eyes widen. The boy flinched when he heard the flame explode. The Rocket's Pokemon snarled in a manner that the trainer instinctively knew to fear. _This Pokemon's strong._ He drew King and Gore's Pokeballs so quickly he nearly dislodged Bulbasaur. He heard Aria hoot a challenge that the Rocket's Pokemon returned with a low growl.

"Magmar, shouldn't be here," the man muttered. The criminal released what he believed to be two Pokemon. "You with me! Mega Punch! Take them alive!" he ordered. A whirring sound not unlike a generator responded before the first creature charged Aria. "And I want you to go back up those two idiots!"

"Energy Ball and Ember," Ash ordered in a whisper. Bulbasaur snorted quietly and crawled out of his lap. Vulpix gave no sign that she heard him, but the temperature rising slightly was all the answer he needed.

"On what?" the Rocket asked in a sly tone as a shadow fell over the boy.

"Crap," the boy muttered. "On him!" he cried. Vulpix shot a spark of flame at the man that he only just managed to evade. "Sleep Powder!" The saurian dispersed her Energy Ball and shot a cloud of green dust at the retreating man. A shriek, then a gust of wind blew the powder away from the man. "Get out there!" Ash barked as he leaped to his feet. He winced as he brushed the shards of glass off the windowsill with his arm. Bulbasaur leaped through the window first with Vulpix a step behind. He glared at the Rocket.

The man was tall and pale with green hair. Unlike the other Rockets he met, with the exception of Jessie and James, he wore a white uniform with a large red R in the middle of it. A brow rose at his hair color. _If I did that I think Mom would fry me._ The Rocket was scowling at his Pokemon fiercely enough that even Vulpix looked unnerved. He looked up and saw what blew away the Sleep Powder. A giant bat with blue fur and purple wings hovered above the criminal. Across the street Aria, Eevee, and Wedge were fighting with, and struggling with, a large, bipedal electric-type. Its cat-like features yellow, near golden, fur and black stripes made its species clear.

Ash gnashed his teeth. The Electabuzz must've stood at least five feet tall. Its powerful arms were almost as thick as Vulpix, and its legs were only slightly less impressive. _Wait, where's the other Pokemon? There was definitely something else here a minute ago._ He shook the thought away and released Gore and King. The Piloswine snorted a greeting and King gargled. "We're in a fight!" Ash barked pointing at the Rocket. King flipped toward his opponent with an eager gleam in his dark eyes.

"Air Cutter!" the Rocket snapped. Golbat shrieked as its wings glowed blue, then it flapped them furiously. Several small blades of wind raced at his team with impressive speed. King shot a spray of bubbles and Gore shot a gust of chilly wind. Ash flinched as the frozen bubbles were torn through by the Air Cutter. The trainer blinked when Gore's hair was only ruffled a bit.

Golbat screeched as an orb of purple flame slammed into its right wing and a green orb crashed into its left. "Haze!" the Rocket ordered as the bat spiraled to the earth. Golbat's eyes snapped open and it spat a black fog that completely consumed it.

"Icy Wind and Powder Snow!" Ash ordered with a scowl. Gore and King's chest expanded as they spat gusts of chilly wind at the fog. A massive, blue blade shot out of the Haze with incredible speed. The ice-type moves struggled for a moment, then the Wind Slash tore through the young team's attacks. Gore squealed and leaped away from the attack and King ducked under it.

The blade cut into the frail house, making the trainer cover his face. Ash gulped. _It might've torn through the house! No point in staying in here then._ That suited him just fine. Hiding behind a wall while his Pokemon did battle didn't suit him anyway. Ash crouched after sliding off the windowsill. He glanced at his brother when Electabuzz roared again. _Can't leave him alone with it._ "Let's make quick work out of this guy!"

Xxxxxxxx

Gary Oak had been regretting that he'd let himself be talked into coming back to Lavender since he'd made the decision. _Great one help me, listening to Ash in a dangerous situation! There's a reason his partner is a pig whose only talent is eating!_ Electabuzz whirred and shot an impressive blast of electricity at the tiny Eevee. The vixen activated Dig with a squeal. She shrieked when a string of electricity clipped her tail, but seemed mostly unharmed.

Aria and Wedge rushed Electabuzz from opposite sides with fire and lightning wreathing them. The cat Pokemon gave them bored looks as he sidestepped the Spark and Fire Punch with ease. It cocked both of its glowing fists back then he smashed Gary's team with Mega Punch. _Why isn't he ordering his Electabuzz too? Does he think Ash is the bigger threat?_ Gary ground his teeth. "Flame Burst, Sonic Boom!" Gary yelled in his desperation to be heard over the battle.

Electabuzz squared itself with a snarl as a blade of energy and the orb of flame collided with his muscular chest. The beast only gave an annoyed grunt making the boy pale. Then the beast bent his knees and narrowed his eyes. Electricity surged around its body, then Electabuzz thrust his arms to the sky with a roar. Gary flinched when Aria materialized in front of him. He understood why, when an electrical flare that covered their side of the street. His partner extended her arms with a hoot and determined glint in her eyes. Part of the flare surged toward them, but Aria nullified it just before it could hit them. The brown-haired boy licked his lips as the temperature increased. "You okay?" he asked quietly once the attack died down.

The prideful fire-type gave him a glare making Gary hold his hands up. "Try not to teleport too much if you can help it," he suggested as he fell to a knee. He grabbed his necklace and rubbed it. Electabuzz looked more annoyed by Aria's mastery of Air Lens than truly intimidated. _Diglett's probably too tired to fight and Abra can't help either. If that's the case, then our only chance would be plan B. I just hope Wedge isn't going to pull a Gore._ "It's time to try Instant Burst, use it on my mark," Gary ordered his gray-eyes narrowed.

Aria hooted excitedly and punched the air a few times heating it as she did. Electabuzz roared and charged the smaller Pokemon. The Magmar met his charge with glee. She wove under the comparative giant's Mega Punch and slammed a flaming fist into its side. The great electric-type hissed and swung wildly at Aria. His punch was cut off by a blade of white energy becoming acquainted with his back. Eevee burst from the earth with a growl and shot the yellow stars of Swift at the same place. Gary smirked smugly. _Even an adult Electabuzz can't stand up to my team!_

Electabuzz howled and flailed at his comparatively tiny opponents. Eevee dove underground again, Aria teleported away, but Wedge had no such means of escape. The magnet shrieked as it was thrown into the air by the beast's punch. "Can you fight?" Gary demanded his eyes locked on the now furious Electabuzz. _I get the feeling we may have only just pissed him off._ Wedge responded with a grinding sound that Gary, to his disappointment, still couldn't fully understand. The boy may not have understood it, but he received his answer when the magnet flew back into the battle with a determined shriek.

Xxxxxxx

Ash furrowed his brow when the Rocket released another Pokemon. The Pokemon was a large, black dog with white horns that curved back in a manner reminiscent of a ram's. It had two bones wrapped around each of its legs and another three on its back. _A Houndoom? There has to be some irony there. I figure this is his last Pokemon, so it's best to be sharp._ He tugged on the bill of his hat as his mind ran through scenarios. The majority ended one way. Unfortunately, that way wasn't in his favor.

With a fire-type on the field Bulbasaur was now at two disadvantages. To make matters worse, its attacks could overheat Gore. A ham joke came to him then, but he shook it away. "Girls you get Golbat, it's halfway done, so it should be easy," the trainer muttered glancing in their direction. Vulpix sniffed and Bulbasaur barked as they turned to the hissing bat. _Starting to look like Houndour might be necessary here. But I don't know if I can depend on him yet._ Houndoom barked and spat a stream of flame at Gore which the Piloswine returned with his Icy Wind. To Ash's horror, the flame quickly began to overwhelm the powdery wind. "Rapid Gun!"

King chirped and fired three streams of cold water into the fire-type's side. The Water Guns tore at the dog's skin, drawing blood and a yelp. Gore squealed and charged the stumbling hound. "Flame Burst! Gust, don't let yourself get hit!" the Rocket snapped with a snarl. Houndoom spat an orb of flame that exploded in the Piloswine's face. The boar tripped and squealed angrily as he shook his head rapidly. The dark-type inhaled to shoot another stream of flame when a rippling orb of water crashed into his side. Houndoom gave a surprised bark as he was knocked onto his side by King's Water Pulse.

"Mud Shot!" Ash whispered, with a grin. The fire-type shot a stream of flame, but it was overwhelmed easily by his partner's forceful stream of mud. The dog rolled away from the attack before leaping to its feet with a snarl. Mud attacks could suffocate fire attacks, and in the case of Piloswine, lower a fire-type's body temperature. _Thank the gods for Dexter._ King strode up to Gore and waved his claws at the large fire-type. "I'm going to help the girls," he muttered, knowing Gore could hear him. A moment later the swine snorted something at King quietly.

When Gore received a hiss, Ash turned to the other battle. He twitched when a surge of heat and a flash of electricity made themselves known. He ignored his brother's struggle in favor of his own. _I can't help him right now, if I'm dead._ Still, he found a part of him ached to help the boy he had grown up with.

He was relieved to see Vulpix and Bulbasaur weren't hurt, aside from the odd scratches caused by Air Cutter, and looked more frustrated than anything. Golbat seemed content to evade their attacks until one of its allies could help it. _Even grown Grass-type's don't have much that can work on a flying Pokemon, so it's up to Vulpix to seal the deal here._ He narrowed his eyes when the bat evaded another Ember and Energy Ball with ease. Ash sighed, there wasn't any other choice. He released Houndour.

Houndour barked and licked his face enthusiastically. "Look I love you too! Now go get that Golbat!" Ash snapped. Houndour blinked, and sniffed the air. "Ignore the Houndoom!" he barked pushing the dog toward the girls' fight. The dark Pokemon whined, but ran to join the fight obediently. Ash glanced at the Rocket. The green-haired man was barking orders at his Electabuzz who looked to have been struggling with Aria, Wedge, and Eevee. King shrieking and Gore squealing made him flinch. "Make sure you use Mud Shot and don't use ice moves!"

"Houndour, keep using Ember! Vulpix use regular Ember from the other side, Bulbasaur, Sleep Powder and Vine Whip!" Ash commanded in a rush. Vulpix and the dog shot barked, then they shot small flames at the Golbat. Bulbasaur squared herself before firing a large cloud of green dust into the air. Golbat screeched as its wings were consumed by a blue glow and flapped its wings.

The Air Cutter sliced through the Ember attack with ease. Houndour squeaked, while Vulpix used Quick Attack to dodge, and shot a far larger flame at the blades of wind. Ash covered his face, when the flame touched the Sleep Powder, and exploded. Golbat shrieked as it was consumed by the explosion. Ash uncovered himself with wide eyes and stared at the smoke that surrounded Golbat. _We should probably not use fire with that again. At least, not until we practice with it more._ "Good job! Now go ge-" Golbat burst from the smoke with a shriek of fury and wind enclosing its wings.

The bat smacked Vulpix away with a wing, sending her tumbling several yards away. It turned toward Houndour with a snarl only to receive a green orb blasted into its back. ""Use Bite on its wings!" Ash screamed as the bat tried to take flight. Houndour barked and charged the bat, but Ash knew he wouldn't make it. Bulbasaur raced past the dog with a white glow surrounding her. The poison-type squeaked, more in surprise than pain, as the saurian rammed it and knocked it onto its back.

Houndour leaped onto the bat with a bark. Bulbasaur flinched at the sound and jumped when the fire-type dug his fangs into the bat's right wing. Ash narrowed his eyes as the dog began to shake his head furiously. "Enough!" Ash roared as he sprinted to the dog. The black dog snapped to him with a snarl. Green vines wrapped around the dog's throat, making him squeak and flail. "Release him!" Ash barked as he slid to a stop next to Bulbasaur. The saurian mewled as she glanced between Ash and Houndour. "For me," the boy said, rubbing her bulb.

Bulbasaur unwrapped her vines slowly. The dog whined and sucked air in desperate gulps. "You okay?" Ash inquired as Vulpix she trotted up to him favoring her left front paw. The vixen gave him a deadpan look and pointed to her ball with a tail. "You did great," the boy muttered as he recalled her and the still gasping Houndour. _Looks like I'll need to have a talk with him later._ Ash flinched when Aria gave a pained shriek. "We gotta go help, the boys," the raven-haired trainer declared, rising. The saurian snorted an agreement.

Xxxxx

Gary released Diglett with a frown. The mole squeaked a greeting as he took in his surroundings. The ground-type's eyes seemed to pop out of his skull when he saw Electabuzz. "I'm not telling you to fight him. I want you to use Dig under him, and don't come out until you've made a big tunnel," the trainer said peering into the mole's brown eyes. Diglett's eyes lit up at the command. "Come out a few feet away from the tunnel right?" Gary barked as the ground-type dug into the earth at an unnatural pace.

The boy winced when Aria took a Mega Punch to the chest. _That's going to ache tomorrow. If there is a tomorrow for us._ Electabuzz howled and charged the disoriented fire-type. Wedge shot a silver stream of energy into his side that made him snarl. He turned toward the magnet with bared fangs. Wedge stared back, unintimidated and unimpressed. Eevee shot out from beneath the electric titan and bit him with jaws consumed by dark energy.

"Thunderbolt!" the Rocket snapped with a grin. Electabuzz shrieked and threw his arms in the air as he was wreathed in electricity.

"No," Gary whispered as his brave, little Eevee squeaked and shrieked in agony. Aria burst into view with a flaming fist cocked back. Electabuzz could only squeak as she slammed it into his jaw. Then, Wedge rammed the beast's ribs with Spark. The two hopped and floated away respectively from his wild punches. _The difference between an adult Electabuzz and a newly evolved Magmar is bigger than I thought!_ He bit his lip and rubbed his necklace again. _Aria just can't hurt him! If only she were a year older…_ He had to hope Diglett was swift enough. His eyes snapped open when he heard a bloodthirsty bark. Gary crouched beneath the flare of flame that soared over his head and exploded on impact.

Gary wiped the sweat from his brow. The Houndoom's Flame Burst had only just missed him. "Ash tell your Bulbasaur to stop running in this direction! And you focus on Electabuzz!" he barked when Aria glared at Houndoom.

"Confusion!" his green-haired opponent snapped. Electabuzz thrust its arm out and sent a wave of pink energy at the distracted Magmar. Aria howled as she was sent tumbling back. Electabuzz thrust its arm at the fire-type again with a howl of victory. Wedge in front of the Confusion and narrowed his eye. The magnet flinched and was sent back a yard when psychic energy slammed into him, but didn't look to be hurt by the attack.

Wedge, Mirror Shot!" The magnet shrieked and shot a small, silver blast at its opponent. Electabuzz snarled and batted it away with only a small wince.

"Enough! Finish them! Houndoom you too!" the Rocket yelled scowling in disgust. The bipedal tiger's body was covered by a layer of electricity as it darted toward the team. Wedge stood its ground and blasted Sonic Boom after Sonic Boom at Electabuzz who covered himself with his muscular arms. It was at that moment that Diglett sprang from the earth and shot a spray of mud at the electric-type's feet. Electabuzz stumbled, then he fell when the mole used Scratch on his leg.

"Instant Burst!" Gary roared.

"Get up!" the Rocket screamed, his face as green as his hair when Aria flared her flames. The Magmar rematerialized behind the Electabuzz with a howl and shot an orb of flame into his neck. The Flame Burst exploded and Electabuzz screeched before its arms gave out. "Ho-Houndoom finish them Flame Charge!" the man stuttered, taking a step back.

Houndoom barked and stopped its feet as flames surrounded it. Then, the earth beneath it gave out. Ash's Krabby chirped and shot Water Gun after Water Gun into the trapped hound's side, making it hiss. A green orb and a large chunk of ice bombarded the hound from the other. A moment passed, then, Houndoom fell. Ash grinned and Gary smiled. _So that's where Diglett dug the hole eh?_

xxxxx

You guys remember Bulbasaur's first fight? Cause Eevee sure as hell remembers.

Also the name of Lyra's partner is supposed to be pronounced. (EE-fe) or (W) (EE-fyuh)

I rewatched Ash vs Paul at Lake acuity for some ideas. Didn't really help, but it was cool.

Would have been absolutely hilarious if Monferno learned Air Lens after evolving. Seriously I'm sitting here thinking Paul was on his way to flawless victory, but with Air Lens Electabuzz would've been beaten down like an Elekid by Monferno. Which would mean he, the Pokemon threw Paul away, would have owned his Electabuzz and likely would have defeated another couple Pokemon.

As far as six on six battles go, I have to say Ash vs Drake is my favorite. Pretty decent strategy, a reasonably powerful opponent who didn't feel like the creators were doing him favors - Paul I'm looking at you - and great use of the field.


	12. Chapter 12

I own nothing, please support the official release!

Episode 12

Episode 12: To the Center!

xxxxxx

"So, you eluded my men," the Rocket stated narrowing his eyes. For a man who had been tied up and beaten down by his enemies he was rather calm. Ash frowned. _What could make him so calm?_

"Yeah, sure, somethin' like that," Janine responded as she and Saur, who looked like he'd been mauled by an Ursaring, strode to them.

"Did they at least put a fight?" the man asked with a sigh.

"Nope," the girl answered with a casual shrug. "How're you guys doing?" she asked, turning to Ash and Gary.

"What about you? Do you need any potions?" Gary inquired as he sprayed the healing substance on Aria. The Magmar whined and crossed her arms over her chest petulantly.

"We're good, I used a super potion on them," Janine responded glancing at her team. "Saur, put him to sleep!"

"You'll pay dearly for doing this!" the Rocket snapped as the Ivysaur sauntered toward him. Saur gave him an unimpressed look and lowered himself. "My brothers will make you pay-" the man's threat was brought to an end when the green powder enveloped him. Ash stared at the man as he fought to stay conscious. Then, he shrugged, putting a man to sleep wasn't such a terrible thing to do.

 _Wedge is looking weird._ The magnet hadn't even made a sound since the battle had ended. The magnet was definitely beaten up, all of the Pokemon were, but he could still float and follow Gary. Still, if Gary's Eevee and Diglett were in better condition, Ash believed the electric-type would be in its ball. _The Pokemon Center is several miles away and we already have so many injured._

Ash blinked when a small amount electricity started to pour become visible around Wedge. Slowly, the electricity began to build until it looked to be using a Spark attack. Ash's eyes widened and he took a step back when the flare only grew. Wedge screeched and the electricity consumed its form completely. He heard Bulbasaur squeak, King shriek, and Aria hoot in alarm.

After several moments, Wedge's screeches began to become quieter and the electricity faded. Wedge now resembled three Magnemite bolted together with silver screws. "Magneton," Gary whispered, taking a hesitant step toward the magnet. The gray-eyed boy extended his hand slowly. Wedge leaned into his touch and buzzed happily.

 _Magnemite that are preparing to evolve have been known to be pulled toward strong electric-types. Wedge must have been pulled to Electabuzz._ Ash glanced at King. The crab's nubs had grown enough to be considered a small crown, and his right pincer was nearly as big as one of Ash's hands. _It won't be much longer now._ He frowned as he watched Gary hug Wedge. _Aria counters Gore easily. Gore counters Wedge. Wedge counters King, who counters Aria. Diglett has an advantage over Vulpix and Houndour but is weak to Bulbasaur and King._ There were too many variables to be sure of who was stronger.

"We should get out of here," Janine spoke up with a pensive look on her face. "The Rockets' electric-types will notice Wedge's evolving."

"Yeah," Gary agreed with a smile that split his face.

xxxxx

"John comes back without his Kingler and Donphan, apparently having been bested by a few rookies. And now you're telling me my stupid little brother has been defeated by these same children, and had his Hitmonchan killed?" Proton inquired his dark eyes sharper than knives.

"Ye-Yessir," Meowth stammered. James found he couldn't blame him. Executive Proton was known as the most brutal man in Team Rocket for a reason.

"What could they be after?" Proton wondered aloud drumming his fingers on his chair. "They must know they can't defeat us, so they're headed to the Pokemon Center," he decided after a moment. The executive scowled, making James and his team flinch. "They're probably nearly there, if they aren't already, if they get to that Houndoom and get him healed…." Proton's mutter trailed off.

Jessie and James paled and shuddered at the thought of facing that demon again. They had been careful to drug the members of the Houndoom's pack, if the pack was there his power was limited, they had figured. Even with this disadvantage, the executive had been forced to step in to stop the fire-type's rampage. _Why didn't the boss just kill it? Is he going to try and tame this one too?_

"Here's what we'll do," Proton spoke after several moments of silence. "You idiots are going to take John and as many grunts as you need to take back the center!"

"Take it back?" Meowth whispered, giving James a confused look.

"Yes take it back!" Proton snapped, making the trio jump. "If Luke couldn't handle them, then those grunts don't stand a chance!" the green-haired man sighed and rubbed his temples. "I'll stay here and guard my brother," he added as he sank into a chair. "What are you still here for? You have a job to do!" Proton snarled when they looked between one another uncertainly.

"Ye-Yessir!"

xxxxxxx

"They don't have any Zubat," Janine whispered when Crowie squeaked into her ear.

"Good, we should be able to slip by them then," Ash uttered with a smirk.

"Are you sure we shouldn't search for Mr. Fuji some more before we take them on?" Gary said, glancing at the Rockets standing guard in front of the center. Ash tugged on his hat. Mr. Fuji and his team would doubtlessly be able to handle the situation better than they could. But taking the time to find the man may cost them the element of surprise.

"Nah, I figure he's in there," Janine said. "Think about it, the Rockets probably have a ton of injured Pokemon from the fight with the town, they'd need as many skilled people as they can to tend them," she added when they looked confused.

"Even Lavender wouldn't go quietly," Ash muttered as he patted Bulbasaur's side. He gave a small smile when she cooed quietly.

"What I'm worried about, is whether or not they got rid of the phones," the kunoichi murmured.

"They wouldn't," Ash said, shaking his head. "If something goes wrong they need to be able to call for backup," he elaborated rising to his feet. "We can't waste any more time, let's take them now," the trainer said, releasing King, Vulpix, and Gore.

"Right," Janine said with a nod. She released Hopper, who yawned and waved to them. The Kangaskhan was looking far better than it had earlier. She was almost at a hundred percent, Ash guessed. Janine shot off to his right making Hopper squeak as she hopped after the girl.

"You know, you're not the boss of us," Gary muttered rolling his eyes. Still the boy took off to the left with Diglett and Wedge on his heels.

"There are five of 'em on this side, and they're sitting in a way that means we can't sneak attack," Ash announced as he stared at his team. Gore and King snorted and gargled excitedly. Their trainer's lips twitched. Vulpix snorted and returned to cleaning her paws. Bulbasaur, as he expected, looked a bit nervous, but warbled nonetheless. "You guys see the Spearow flock and the Fearow?" he asked as he pointed at the birds. "King, Vulpix, you two will get them out of the sky, and Bulbasaur, you'll use your Sleep Powder on them the moment they get low enough." Gore whined and shuffled.

"I'm getting to you," Ash muttered, rolling his eyes. "I want you to make a small Ice Shard and hit one of its wings, then you'll blast him with everything you've got," he said, meeting his partner's brown eyes with his own. Gore snorted and tilted his head to the side. "Just trust me and use a small one!" The Piloswine narrowed his eyes at the tone but grunted his assent. "Don't hold back at all, we can't afford to fight those Rockets with the Spearow helping them," he added.

Fearow was a large, brown bird Pokemon that measured at about four feet tall and eighty pounds heavy. Its main weapon was its six inch long beak and it was well known for possessing impressive stamina. The violent bird had fought for dominion of the skies with Pidgeot for millennia. He smirked, when Gore's small shard of ice crashed into the bird's wing. _And now, it's out of the way._ Fearow squawked and shrieked as it spiraled to the earth. A blast of chilly wind engulfed the flailing bird's injured wing and froze it. Fearow hit the ground with a shriek that made Ash wince. A brown and white blur slammed into the prone flying-type launching it several feet through the air. Gore grunted, satisfied, when the bird didn't move again. The Spearow shrieked angrily, and a bit fearfully, at their alpha's swift defeat.

"Where the hell did that come from?" a Rocket, a woman with black hair, demanded leaping to her feet.

"Doesn't matter! We're gonna find what did it and take it down!" another Rocket, a giant man with a mohawk, barked.

"He's mine!" Ash declared after stepping out of the alley. The Rockets snapped their attention to him with snarls. The Spearow flipped to him as well with cries of rage. Ash grinned mockingly. Then, purple balls of fire, concentrated streams of water, and a green orb shot into the flock.

Seven of the twenty birds fell with shrieks of pain. The flock shrieked and began to fly apart in their panic. "Finish them!" Ash barked. This time, Gore joined in the group's efforts and shot small chunks of ice at the distressed birds. Ash nodded approvingly. _Good, he finally figured it out!_ He furrowed his brow. _Or he just wants to attack as many as he can._ Within moments the flock, lay helpless on the ground. Bulbasaur warbled and shot a large burst of Sleep Powder onto them.

"Enough!" the Rocket woman snapped releasing her Pokemon. She released a Raticate, a Houndour, and an Ekans. The criminal with the mohawk released a Drowzee, a Sneasel, and a Graveler. The three remaining Rockets released two Ekans, another Drowzee, two Rattata, a Raticate, and a Voltorb. Ash's eyes narrowed when he heard Aria hoot and Saur roar. _The others have started fighting then._

"Watch out for each other!" Ash shouted as his Pokemon charged their opponents. Gore and King shot bursts of chilly wind at the group with battle cries. Graveler grunted and tore a chunk of earth to shield the criminals' Pokemon. Vulpix barked haughtily and shot an Ember enhanced with Will-O-Wisp. The flame darted around the boulder as though it breathed. Ash twitched when he heard the Sneasel squeal. The boy scowled when his other Pokemon darted behind the boulder as well. He ran to a tree a few yards to their right.

The Rockets barked and shouted orders at their Pokemon at such a speed that Ash could barely distinguish them. He shook his head. He'd know when he saw the beasts fight anyway. To little surprise, King had already left both Rattata broken and whimpering on the floor. The crab Pokemon shot a burst of chilly wind in one of the Ekans eyes and moved to snip it. Another Ekans shot several poisonous needles at the crab's back. "Harden!" Ash snapped his eyes wide.

Near instantly, the crab was consumed by a white sheen that deflected the needles with ease. King flipped toward the snake with a vengeful gleam shining in his dark eyes. The Krabby shot three Water Guns into the snake, drawing a hiss from the poison-type before it fell. The other Ekans sprang up and bit into the crab's shell with its impressive fangs. King hissed, more irritated than pained, and grabbed it with his right pincer. The Krabby tossed it with a flick of his wrist and shot a spray of forceful bubbles at it. The small snake was unconscious before it hit the ground. Ash blinked at the display. _I didn't know he was that strong! Then again, he did stop a Nidorino's charge._ "Go take out the Houndour!" the trainer ordered.

Bulbasaur blasted an Energy Ball at the Sneasel that sent it tumbling back. Then she leaped away from two telekinetic waves. The Drowzee stood several feet away from the saurian with their clawed hands extended. One of the Drowzee a female, he believed, was a few inches taller and was growing a small, white mane. Ash crossed his arms over his chest. _It's getting ready for evolution, then._ "Don't look into its eyes, no matter what!"

Two small, purple orbs of flame soared at the Drowzee from behind them. The psychics shuddered and hurriedly created pink walls. The female's held, the male's shattered. The male Drowzee screamed as the ghostly flame hit him. A small seed landed on his head and sprouted vines. The male fell and whimpered as its energy was sapped from it. Vulpix raced around the female's shield with a Scratch and Quick Attack combo.

The female Drowzee was ready. It struck the vixen with a glowing fist and sent her tumbling away. Bulbasaur shot a glob poison that was quickly blocked by a barrier. Drowzee extended her hand at Vulpix, then thrust its arm forward. The fire-type yipped in alarm as she was tossed off her feet by Confusion's second application. The vixen skidded to a stop next to Bulbasaur who nudged her to her feet gently. The vixen shook her head rapidly after she rose. Ash scowled. _The ability to sense an opponent's presence is more dangerous than I thought it'd be. Houndour could break her shield easily, but I can't trust him yet. We can't overpower it, so what's our move?_ "Drowzee, Psybeam!" the Rocket woman ordered making him flinch.

His girls avoided the attack with ease, but Drowzee sent another psychic beam at them before they could retaliate. "Split up!" Ash shouted, flipping his hat to block his eyes from the sun. He received a bark and a yip as they followed his command. Vulpix charged the psychic from her left with a Scratch and Quick Attack combination, he really needed to think of a name for that. Bulbasaur charged it from its right with her vines extended. Drowzee snorted apathetically and extended both of its arms at its opponents. Two pink walls formed inches from its claws. _Gotcha!_ "Use your vines to jump! Vulpix, turn off Quick Attack!" Ash commanded with a grin.

"Pound!" the Rocket countered. Bulbasaur slapped the ground with her vines and propelled herself over the wall. Drowzee's right claw clenched as it was covered in a white glow. The saurian wrapped her vines around the psychic's claw, making her snort in alarm, and shot a spray of poison at her. Drowzee flailed and shrieked as the poison ate away at her hide. Her barrier faded away with its master's distraction. Vulpix barked triumphantly as she shot a purple Ember into its back. Then the psychic's eyes rolled back and she fell. Bulbasaur pushed off her with her vines. Ash grinned proudly. He glanced away from them when he heard King chirp loudly. The Krabby had been surrounded by the Voltorb and the two Raticate. "You did great! Now, go help King!" They barked their understanding and raced to the crab's aid.

Finally Ash turned to his partner's battle. He noticed another Ekans lay motionless on the ground several yards away from the boar. _Good, then just those four left._ Gore roared as he surged at the Graveler with his Take Down. Graveler snarled, then it wrenched a chunk of earth from the ground and threw it into the boar's side. The Piloswine squealed in pain as he was knocked onto his side by the rock.

Graveler ran a few steps, then it rolled at the swine. "Mud Shot in its path!" the trainer commanded. Gore chuffed and shot a stream of mud in front of the rolling rock. One of the Rockets shouted for Graveler to dodge, but it was too late. The rock-type swerved away from the boar with a shocked hiss. The Graveler continued rolling until, it slammed into one of its boulders. Gore shot to his feet and fired a blast of chilly wind into its back. The ground-type shrieked and tried to shield itself with its arms as its body temperature was lowered dangerously. The swine continued to blast Graveler until it stopped moving. "Good job! Now go help-" Ash blinked. The rest of his team was staring at him from the Pokemon Center's white steps. "Well, okay then, never mind," he said as he strode to them.

Ash pouted a bit, when he saw that Bulbasaur had already put all the Rockets to asleep as well. _Guess there's nothing left for me to do…._ Janine strode through the center's door with a grin. "We found Hellfang and Mr. Fuji!" she declared her chest puffing out proudly.

"Okay, then I'll help deal with-"

"And we cleared out all the Rockets!" the kunoichi interrupted him with a chirp.

"Oh, alright then," he muttered as Gore whined.

xxxxxx

"Team Rocket has taken over Lavender," Sabrina repeated shutting her eyes. Janine's eyebrow twitched. Even now, the young woman's eternal calm was unshaken. "Tell, me is there a man named Fuji there?" the Gym Leader inquired opening her eyes.

"Mr. Fuji is here, yeah," Janine replied in a dry tone. _Couldn't she at least pretend to be a little worried?_

"Mr. Fuji… Was once one of the strongest Ace Trainers in the region and was the leading candidate to be the Gym Leader of Lavender," Sabrina explained procuring a Pokeball. The woman released an Alakazam in a scarlet light. She whispered something to the Alakazam, who nodded and teleported away. "Stay with him and you will be safe."

"That's just it, most of his team is hurt," the kunoichi said with a wince. Mr. Fuji was an elderly man who looked to be in his late sixties or early seventies. Unfortunately, he had taken a nasty bite from a Houndour when the Rockets first attacked and was now walking with a crutch. He only had three members of his team left - not counting the Cubone and the Ghastly - and she doubted they would obey anyone else after nearly six decades. The female Marowak and her father definitely wouldn't. The only team member that had been willing to help was the Crobat. As long as Mr. Fuji's leg was hurt, they were restricted to the Pokemon Center.

"That is an issue," Sabrina drawled her eyes narrowing slightly. "The nearest Gyms are in Gringey city and Dark town," she mumbled steepling her fingers. Janine stroked Crowie's ears lightly. Sabrina could be a bit odd, but she was the leader one of the Eight for good reason. The psychic was among the most powerful trainers in the entire region. She'd know what to do. She bit her lip. _I hope she does anyway._ "Stay where you are. I will bring Erika to you," the psychic told her as she rose to her feet.

"Wha- but I thought you couldn't Teleport anywhere near here!" Janine said with a furrowed brow.

"My team are far from ordinary psychics," Sabrina declared with a small smile. The kunoichi felt her shoulders relax and her heart lighten. "We will be there as soon as we can," the Gym Leader promised before turning off the video phone.

"She's going to Teleport here?" Janine jumped and Crowie squeaked. _When did he get there?_ "Well, is she?" Gary asked again giving her an annoyed look.

"Ye-Yeah," the girl answered with a small nod. _Auntie's gonna kill me if she finds out someone snuck up on me…..._

"You said that was impossible," the boy said narrowing his eyes.

"I thought it was!" the kunoichi snapped back with her hands on her hips. Crowie squeaked and puffed her chest out in a manner that was meant to be threatening. Janine repressed the urge to coo with great difficulty.

"Whatever, the dog woke up," Gary muttered. The boy gave her another dark look, then he strode from the room. Janine winced when he slammed the door. _All of this over a Sandwich? A good sandwich, but still._

xxxxxx

Hellfang was the partner of Karen, arguably the most powerful woman since Champion Lyra herself. He was without a doubt the mightiest Houndoom that had ever, and likely would ever, walk the earth. Ash raised a brow as the great dog began to pant happily when Janine scratched him behind his horns. "Still a dog I guess," he mumbled.

"You're such a good boy! Yes, you are!" the kunoichi purred wrapping her arms around the Pokemon's thick neck. Hellfang crooned happily and licked her cheek with enthusiasm.

"Careful now, he's been through quite a bit," Nurse Joy admonished in a gentle tone. Ash narrowed his eyes. The dog's chest didn't fully expand when he breathed and there were several small cuts along his form. Nothing permanent he was sure, but the dog wouldn't be at his best if it came to a fight.

"They'll be here soon, you know," Mr. Fuji spoke reclining in his chair. The Marowak female took the man's crutch and nuzzled his hand. "Thank you Beryl," the old man grunted with a small smile.

"What do we do then?" Gary asked, shutting his eyes tightly. Ash averted his eyes. For all their differences, he hadn't ever wanted to see the other boy so defeated. Well, unless he was responsible for it.

"Hellfang being put in the full restore is our only chance," the old man said, giving the nurse a significant look. The nurse's lips pursed. "It was nearly destroyed earlier, I know, but I doubt I am a threat to Proton alone, as I am, and Archer is stronger than his brother, Hellfang is our only hope," Mr. Fuji continued raising a hand. Nurse Joy glared at the ground, then she turned and strode from the room. Ash winced as the door slammed. He could understand the nurse's reluctance. The full restoration machine used by ordinary centers paled in comparison to the League's. If it was truly damaged, then it may only make Hellfang worse.

"What about Sabrina? She said she'd get Erika," Ash pointed out crossing his arms over his chest.

"There's a limit to Teleport. Even for little Sabrina teleporting here will take a great deal of preparation," Mr. Fuji explained patting the male Marowak's muscular arm.

"What about the town's other trainers? " Janine piped up with a hopeful look that Ash suspected would be smashed. He sighed when Mr. Fuji's lined face became graver.

"The channelers disappeared the day of the attack," he told them with a sigh. Janine's hopeful expression disappeared with such speed Ash nearly doubted it was ever there. He leaned back on the wall and closed his eyes. "Even Abira couldn't locate them with her Supersonic," the old man added rubbing his temples.

"Archer, huh," Ash mumbled. _If the man could fight Master Surge six years ago and he spent his time going after rare Pokemon..._ He shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed loudly. Surge was in his thirties now, which meant he could have been weaker during the war. It wasn't likely, though. Most trainers hit their prime near twenty, with Dragon Trainers sometimes taking longer. Which meant Archer had fought evenly with a Pokemon Master. Ash blinked when his hand brushed something circular. "The TMs," he whispered, pulling them out.

Mega Drain and Reflect. Moves that he could teach Bulbasaur and Vulpix, but would take a month to master. With the aid of a TM that time would be cut into a mere week. "Imma be right back!" Ash promised before running out of the door.

xxxxx

"A Crobat? It's that stupid old man again!" Jessie snarled clenching her fists.

"Shh," James urged holding a finger to his lips. The blue-haired man shared his companion's frustration. After the hell that was taking on Karen's Houndoom they'd been looking forward to an easy battle with Lavender. A grin grew on his lips. The Pokemon were so weak that most of them nearly fainted when they released the Nidoking their boss had given them. The grin fell into a scowl. It had been effortless, until that old man and the brat's Magmar had stepped in. The old Crobat alone had killed an entire flock of Zubat, hurt Golia's wing to the point she couldn't fly, and nearly killed John's Golbat.

"She's too powerful to take out without those brats hearing it," John growled glaring at the poison-type balefully. James half-expected the bat to catch flame from the intensity of the glare.

"Be quiet!" Meowth snapped quietly when the grunts began to whisper doubts themselves. "Listen up idiots, cuz this is what we're gonna do," the white feline whispered baring his canines in a vicious grin.

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Thank you for all your support!

I hoped to have this out on Halloween. Would have been the first time I produced three chapters in a month. I suppose I can try again this month.

Gore vs Graveler was fun for me - in spite of its brevity. The winner between Pokemon that are nearly equals is decided by their trainer and I think it showed that.

My favorite fight has to be Vulpix and Bulbasaur vs Drowzee for this chapter. It surprised even me when she went to help Bulbasaur out. Still pretty evil though.

Seriously, she could easily be a villain, and be happy with it too.


	13. Chapter 13

I don't own anything here, please support the official release.

Episode 13

Yanked

xxxxxx

"Gore you really oughta be resting with the others," Ash said, giving the boar a chastising look. Gore grunted stubbornly and turned his back on the boy. _Brat._ "Anyway, you guys ready?" the trainer inquired. "I meant girls!" he corrected quickly when Vulpix narrowed her eyes. Bulbasaur crooned and shuffled in place. Ash smiled gently and patted her head. He turned to the technical move translator. Or at least, he thought that was what it was named.

The translator was a simple machine. It stood taller than the boy, was a couple feet wide, and was a dull gray. Aside from the darker buttons it was completely forgettable. Ash swallowed and inserted the disc for Mega Drain. Then he lifted Bulbasaur up onto the table next to translator. The small, black spot she sat on was where the information would be filtered through. The trainer frowned. Given that there were only a few trainers in the town an older model was efficient. She warbled anxiously when the machine made several whirring noises. Ash rubbed her side with one hand and patted a growling Gore with the other.

The saurian jumped and brought out here vines when the machine clicked loudly. "Easy, easy!" Ash snapped when Gore and Vulpix lowered themselves to the ground. "It just means it's done," he said in a gentler tone. "Do you feel any different?" the trainer inquired turning to Bulbasaur. The grass-type narrowed her eyes, then she shuffled. Ash's heart sank, without Mega Drain their battles were that much more difficult. Mega Drain could not only heal her, it could potentially be used to improve the power of Leech Seed. Then she jumped off the table, looked up at him, and warbled. "Great! Vulpix it's your turn!" he chirped with a wide smile.

The vixen yelped when he tore her off the ground. The vixen glared at her trainer's back as he hurried to put Reflect into the machine. Gore stared at him as though he had lost all sense, but Ash ignored him. Reflect would pave the way to two great moves for Vulpix, Psywave and Light Screen. Bulbasaur hid behind Gore when he cackled.

Light Screen was a barrier technique that strongly resisted elemental attacks. It was arguably the greatest defensive move a Pokemon with psychic abilities Pokemon could learn. Psywave wasn't nearly as useful, but it was also far less strenuous than advanced telekinetic attacks such as Psychic. The click snapped him from his thoughts. "Well? You got it right?" Ash asked, forcing himself to keep his tone.

The vixen gave him a condescending sniff and hopped off the table. She held her tails in what was likely her best imitation of the Ninetales. "Good," he said with a vicious smirk. "Now-" the trainer shuddered as a cold feeling crept up his spine. _Ghost Pokemon!_ Gore snarled and charged the ghost with Take Down. Ash and Vulpix dove out of the boar's path with startled yelps. The boar crashed through the ghost's form and into the translator. Ash winced. _Gods, I'm going to be relying on my mother till I'm seventeen!_

Bulbasaur shot a seed that hit the Haunter between its eyes. The seed sprouted several, glowing vines that wrapped around the ghost's head. Haunter shrieked before tearing the seed off. Ash blinked. Bulbasaur blinked. "Has that ever happened before?" the boy whispered. The saurian snorted a denial. "Didn't think so," he muttered rising to his feet. Haunter snarled and cocked a claw back.

"Gaari?" Janine's voice called with hope. The Haunter's face split into a happy grin, then she flew to her trainer with her arms spread wide. Vulpix and Gore strode to his side with vengeful gleams in their eyes. Ash held out an arm and shook his head. Vulpix hissed, then turned her back on him and began to clean her paws. Gore snarled and kicked a piece of what used to be the table into the wall. Ash sighed and hid his eyes with the bill of his hat. "I was so worried about you," Janine mumbled into the ghost's shoulder. Gaari had the decency to look ashamed.

For disappearing when Janine needed her, not for attacking Ash and his team. The ghost's sad, red eyes and pout might have moved him were it not for that little fact. Gary crashed through the double doors and into the lobby with Aria and Wedge on his heels. "What's happening? Is it Team Rocket?" Gary questioned in a rush. The brown-haired boy scoured the lobby as though he expected to be ambushed at any moment.

"Just catching up," Ash sighed patting Gore's side. A moment later, Mr. Fuji and his male Marowak shoved through the doors. "It's okay, just got a bit excited," the trainer affirmed. He glanced back at the translator. _Well, maybe more than a bit._

"Very well then," the old trainer said with a slow nod. The veteran clearly didn't believe him, but didn't seem to think it wasn't worth pushing the issue.

"Mr. Fuji there's something I've been wondering," Janine began as she stepped out of her ghost's embrace. Ash couldn't help but notice the furtive glance she sent Gaari as though she expected the ghost to disappear in a moment. Gaari noticed too, judging by the way her red eyes fell. "Where's everybody else? The only people we've seen so far are the ones in the basement and the back," she questioned.

"Many years ago, Lady Agatha and I created a tunnel that leads to Dark Town in the southern part of town, many likely fled there. Many more are in the Pokemon Tower guarded by Rockets," Mr. Fuji answered seating himself. "I don't think the Rockets have killed any of them," he added. Janine gave a relieved sigh while Gary and Ash smiled. "You children have done very well," the veteran said quietly his eyes shut. "Even so, a sad day when children fight for cowering adults," he murmured.

Ash couldn't help but agree. The people here didn't give their Pokemon even the most basic training. His mother wasn't a skilled trainer, the only powerful Pokemon she had was trained by Arcia, but she would never allow herself to be so weak that children would have to fight alone. He thought of Johnny, Tracey, and of Mr. Roberts. No, the people of Pallet wouldn't sit idly by while he and Gary fought. The fact that only Mr. Fuji and the ghost-type trainers could fight was inexcusable.

Abira the Crobat rushed through the center's doors with a screech. Mr. Fuji shot from his chair with the speed of a man half his age. "From what direction?" he demanded. "We're surrounded," he muttered when the Crobat blew a light gust.

"Surrounded?" Ash repeated tugging on his hat.

"I'll take the back and the right, you take the left and the front," Mr. Fuji said glancing at his partner. "Talc tell Beryl to guard the people, and not to leave them unless I give the signal," he ordered. The Marowak snorted, then he sprinted through the double doors.

"Will you be okay alone?" Janine asked as she released Crowie.

"I'm never alone child," the veteran said with a smile that made the wrinkles around his eyes crinkle. "Now go! And watch out for one another!" he barked over his shoulder as he and his team strode away.

"You ready?" Ash asked, glancing at his team. They looked offended by the question. Ash released King with a smirk.

xxxxxxx

"I'm glad I chose the front," Ash remarked as he walked down the white steps. Gore and King strode in front of him, their eyes hard. They'd been looking forward to this rematch too. Bulbasaur crooned worriedly when she saw the Lickitung. "You're stronger than you were then," the trainer offered quietly, his eyes trained on the criminals. These two were on a different playing field from the grunts they'd been fighting. He'd need to be alert.

"Gods, I should have known," James muttered pinching the bridge of his nose. Weepinbell glared at Gore and Arbok glared at King. Floating above James' shoulder was a Koffing with a dopey grin. The trainer crossed his arms over his chest. Koffing was a purple, round Pokemon with several raised parts of its hide that could puff out poisonous gas. If he wasn't careful it could easily kill Vulpix or King. Growlie the Growlithe growled at his team from the criminal's side. Ash twitched when he noticed the dark look Vulpix gave the dog. The dog may have worked with a criminal, but it still didn't deserve what she'd likely do to it.

"This time, you'll not be running," Jessie promised with a dark smile. Winder, the Arbok, raised itself up to display the pattern on its chest that only intimidated Bulbasaur.

"Me running? I seem to recall you guys bolting like a baby Nidoran at the sight of Hero," Ash retorted with a smirk. His smirk widened when Jessie's face took on a color similar to her hair. _Carnivine isn't here, eh? Guess it was hurt when they took the town. If so..._ "Don't show fear. Take out the Koffing first," he whispered so lowly that he knew only Vulpix, King, and Gore could hear.

"Poison Gas attack!" James barked pointing at him. Koffing gurgled cheerfully, then it floated several yards away from its trainer so it was floating over its fellow Pokemon.

"Stop it!" Ash snapped, panic seeping into his tone. Acting quickly, Vulpix shot a small ball of purple fire at their opponent and King shot a Water Gun. An instant later, Koffing shot a cloud of poisonous gas at the team. Vulpix's Ember penetrated the cloud and ignited an explosion that completely consumed the enemies' Pokemon. Koffing fell from the sky like a Pidgey with a broken wing. Ash and his team stared at the smoke with bated breath and wide eyes. Jessie and James uncovered themselves with similar expressions. Finally, the smoke cleared revealing the Rockets' teams. Winder and Licki were lying prone and unmoving covered in burns. Growlie whined pitifully as it righted itself, appearing to be favoring its front right leg. Bella the Weepinbell was missing. "Finish him!" the trainer barked, making Jessie and James flinch.

Vulpix threw herself at Growlie with a snarl. The dog yelped and flailed when the vixen clamped down onto its neck and knocked it over. "Bulbasaur Sleep Powder! Don't worry about Vulpix!" Ash ordered. She glanced at him nervously, then squared herself. Vulpix's eyes widened slightly as the saurian shot a cloud of green dust. The vixen jerked her head in their direction, drawing a pained yelp from the Growlithe, then she leaped away from the dog Pokemon. Growlie rolled back to its feet. Sleep Powder engulfed the dog before it could retaliate. "Looks like you're all out of luck," Ash said with a taunting grin.

Jessie only smiled. He cried out as pain shot through his calf and he fell to a knee. The trainer froze when a claw pressed against his neck with enough force to draw blood.

"Looks like you're tha one outta luck," a nasally voice murmured. "Stupid boy," the voice purred. The warm breath they exhaled made the hairs on the back of the boy's neck stand up. Gore snarled and took a threatening step forward. "Easy big guy! You take one more step and the brat gets it!" the creature that could only have been a speaking Pokemon declared applying enough pressure to his neck to draw blood. "That goes for you too little lady," he added, glancing to the right. Bulbasaur lowered her vines and took a few steps away from them. The helpless look she sent him made Ash's heart ache.

"Nice work, Meowth!" Jessie congratulated with a grin. "Now finish him!"

"The sooner you do, the sooner we can pay old man Fuji a visit," James added.

"Are you stupid?" Meowth demanded in a snarl. The cat Pokemon sighed when the criminals stared at him uncomprehending. "The moment we hurt the brat we become Pokechow! Just stick to the plan!" he snapped with a note of exasperation. Jessie sneered at the cat Pokemon as the Rocket duo recalled their teams. Then James released his Carnivine. The flytrap Pokemon flinched after it took in the enemies that stood before it. Vulpix's eyes lit up with dark glee. Ash swallowed. _I really should have a talk with her at some point about these sadistic tendencies._ "Don't move!" the cat snapped.

"Don't be such a coward! This your chance to get some payback," Jessie lectured with her hands on her hips. Carnivine looked between the criminals trainer and the Pokemon that stood against it nervously. It swallowed heavily and charged an Energy Ball. Bella wiggled her way into view from behind a boulder. The Weepinbell took in the situation quickly, then she cocked one of her leaves back.

"And don't try and block or else!" Meowth told his team. Ash felt something cold gripped his heart and his breath quickened as the orb grew rapidly. The boy flinched when Bella was knocked into the air by a silver blast of energy. "What the-? Which one of you did that?" the cat demanded digging his claws in deeper. There was a pop then, an intense heat materialized behind him. The heat grew greater still when Meowth was sent shrieking through the air. The cat hit the steps and tumbled end over end before slamming into the earth on his head. Ash stared at the unmoving cat with wide eyes.

Gore roared with a ferocity greater than ever before and charged Meowth. The dazed Meowth scrambled to his feet in time to be launched through the air by a swipe off the swine's tusks. "You really do have a knack for trouble," his brother's voice called making him flinch. Gary stepped forward and offered him a hand. Ash took with a thankful nod. Bulbasaur crooned and licked his injured leg.

"It'll be fine," he offered with a small smile. Her eyes lit up. For once, he found himself grateful for her youth. Where Gore or King would question him she trusted him implicitly. _And I'm abusing that trust._ The trainer ignored the ache that accompanied the thought. Life is complicated in ways people can scarcely fathom, his grandfather had told him with wistful eyes. He rubbed his neck and patted the tiny saurian gently. _Now I think I understand a little of what you meant._

"If you resist, I'll give you to Aria," Gary promised in a tone so dark that Ash didn't dare doubt it. Ash rose slowly. _Would I do the same if it was his life at stake?_ He swallowed, he didn't want to know what he would do. The trainer searched for his partner and found Gore standing over Meowth's prone form with a baleful gleam in his brown eyes. Ash's eyes widened as the swine reared back. Gore brought brought his tusks down into the soft flesh of the cat's belly. The Piloswine grunted and ripped his weapons from the cat with a grunt. Ash shut his eyes tightly. He'd seen the Pokemon of the corral duel to the end, but somehow he hadn't thought Gore would ever... The trainer shook his head, hoping the action could banish the thought, and turned to check on the rest of his team.

To his slight surprise, Vulpix had opted not to end Bella's life. She had likely been bored with the lack of a challenge. He knew intimately well what the vixen would do otherwise. The Weepinbell's yellow back was mostly black, but grass-types possessed immense healing capacities. According to Dexter, Bulbasaur's healing was nearly as impressive as an Arbok's. Provided she had the right amount of sunlight, she could even regrow limbs. _God I'm obsessed._

"Don't get so full of yourself, brats!" Jessie fumed drawing a Pokemon. James flinched.

"Is he really necessary here? We're supposed to save him for Fuji remember?" James asked his face paling. Ash felt something akin to trepidation settle in his belly as the redhead primed the ball.

"Aria, get them!" he roared. The Magmar stiffened recognizing the desperation in his tone. She was in front of Jessie in an instant with a flaming fist cocked back. Her fist came down on a broad, white chest. The beast merely grunted and swatted Aria away. The casual blow sent her sailing through the air several yards away from the Pokemon.

"What the hell is _he_ doing with them?" Gary whispered, his eyes wide in horror. Gore roared a challenge as his rival scoured the battlefield. The great poison-type roared, an action that dwarfed the young boar's and made Bulbasaur throw herself into Ash's chest. The boy wrapped his eyes around the shaking saurian but kept his gaze firmly on their foe.

"Nidoking," Ash breathed.

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To my Guest

Thanks for your review! I'm touched by the praise.

To Rikudo Igneel

There's nothing Charmander can bring to the story at this point. I might do the whole deserted Pokemon thing at some point, but I feel Charmander has enough screen time in fanfiction.

This is actually why I ended up choosing Bulbasaur of the Kanto starters. They're a criminally neglected species.

I probably could have just said no couldn't I?

A.N.

For those of you who wondered how Delia got an Arcanine - now you know how.


	14. Chapter 14

I do not own Pokemon. Please support the official release. By buying it. In case any of you didn't guess.

Episode 14

Vs Nidoking

xxxxxx

Their opponent was closer to six feet than five and probably weighed more than Gore. Nidoking's great, plated armor was a majestic purple with the exception of his cream colored chest. Upon his regal head was a horn that was likely over twenty inches long. Several spikes, far smaller than the horn, ran down the rhinoceros' back and along his tail. Nearly as dangerous as his horn was the thick tail that was reputed to be capable of snapping trees. Ash gulped as he watched the lethal poison drip from his horn.

"Kill them all," Jessie whispered, her dark grin returning. Nidoking's giant ear twitched, then he gave her a disinterested look that sent a surge of hope through Ash's chest. It was dashed when the young monarch grunted and turned back to them. "Hey- what are you doing?" Jessie demanded as James grabbed her arm and tore into a nearby alley. Ash tugged on the bill of his hat. _As I thought, they can't control him at all._

"Gore don't," Ash growled. The boar barely paid him any heed, opting to continue glaring at the poison-type. "Anything I don't know about?" he asked, glancing at his brother.

"Not for him," Gary responded clutching something small in his hand tightly.

Didn't think so," Ash sighed. He held his shivering Pokemon to his chest. Finally, Aria hooted and shot an orb of flame at their opponent's chest. The flame exploded on contact making Nidoking grunt. Ash gaped while Gary and Bulbasaur stared wide-eyed in horror. Aria took a step back when he turned to her. Gore roared and blasted a gust of chilly wind into the king's back. Nidoking hissed in pain and turned away from the Magmar. He roared and lowered his great head, an action that the young boar returned immediately.

They snarled and charged. Horn and tusks met in a crack similar to a branch breaking in two. Nidoking roared as he pushed the younger Pokemon back. Gore stomped and fought with all of his strength, but the king managed to get beneath him. The Piloswine squealed as he was forced off his hooves, then he was shoved onto his back. Nidoking lowered his head at the boar's belly making Ash pale. Wedge shrieked a battle cry and shot a silver beam at the beast's back.

Nidoking waved his arm dismissively at the attack. A stone tore itself from the earth and took the magnet's attack for its master. A gust of black wind crashed into the king's face, making him grimace. Nidoking snarled and waved a thick, purple arm in her direction. The vixen's ears fell as a stone the size of Ash was slung toward her. "Quick Attack!" Ash shouted snapping her out of her daze. The king's distraction gave Gore the opportunity he needed to bring himself to stand. The Piloswine spat a gust of chilly wind into his enemy's side.

The rhinoceros hissed, then he spun and slammed Gore's side with his muscular tail. Ash winced as his partner was sent skidding several yards away from the monarch. "S-supersonic!" Gary ordered. Wedge gave a whirr that held a note of exhaustion, then he fired the odd sound waves at the king. Nidoking gave a confused grunt when he began to sway. The ground-type supported himself with an arm on the boulder he created. "Keep it up!" the boy encouraged with far more confidence.

"King, ice him! Aria, Vulpix, full power!" Ash barked. King gave a battle cry before shooting a burst of chilly wind at the poison-type's back. The disoriented monarch hissed in annoyance more than pain as his temperature was lowered. Still, he managed to make Aria's Flame Burst explode prematurely by throwing a rock the size of Bulbasaur in its path. Vulpix yipped and shot one of the largest orbs of Will-O-Wisp enhanced fire, she had ever created into the Pokemon's back. To both trainers shock, Nidoking gave an agonized roar.

"Idiot, you have to attack them!" Jessie screamed, peeking out of the alley she was hiding in. Nidoking grunted, annoyed by what he likely viewed as cowardice, and swung a thick arm in Wedge's direction. A boulder was sent soaring at the magnet with impressive speed. Wedge turned off Supersonic and shot a small blade of energy at the boulder. It barely slowed the king's attack. The magnet shrieked as it was thrown to the earth. Gary returned it before it could land.

"Wedge… you were amazing," he mumbled to the orb.

"Damn it all," Ash muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow. King leaped onto the Nidoking's back with glowing claws and a chirp. "King get back!" Ash screamed. The Krabby turned to him with a look of confusion. Nidoking snatched him as if he was an annoying insect. King shrieked and flailed as the monarch squeezed.

Gore snarled and surged toward the beast. Aria materialized to the right of Nidoking in a crouch, making the monarch snap his head to her with wide eyes. She blasted an orb of flame into his face that exploded on contact. Nidoking shrieked and flailed, the action slung King into a house with a crack. "King!" Ash cried. A furious, squealing Piloswine slammed into Nidoking's chest. The poison-type roared and dug his massive nails into the earth. Diglett sprung from the earth and shot a stream of mud into his face.

Aria spat a small stream of flame, carefully avoiding the ice manipulating boar, into his right leg. Ash grinned darkly as Gore began to gradually push Nidoking back. Glowing leaves sliced into the boar's right side. Gore squealed and stumbled. A reddish patch grew in his fur at an alarming rate. Nidoking seized the opportunity to smack him away with his tail. The monarch swung wildly at Aria, but the Magmar flipped away with speed one would expect from a Ponyta. "Wha- the," the trainer cursed as he searched for the attacker. He found it hanging from a street light with a grin. Its giant, green head and vine like appendages made the attacker's species clear.

"That's a Carnivine? Aria focus on Nidoking! Diglett get Carnivine!" Gary barked clenching his fists. The mole squeaked and rushed the grass-type. The plant's sinister smile widened.

 _Can't believe I forgot it!_ "Vulpix, bring it down quick, don't use Will-O-Wisp!" Ash ordered as he returned King. The vixen hissed her understanding, Ash had never been more grateful for such an intelligent Pokemon, and raced after the mole. Ash took vindictive satisfaction in watching Carnivine's grin fade.

"Energy Ball!" James ordered not even deigning to peek out of their hiding place.

"Hit the ball!" Ash countered. Vulpix skidded to a stop, then she shot a small ball of fire into the Energy Ball. The green orb exploded, sending the shrieking Carnivine falling to the earth. Acting quickly, it extended vines to the street light. Diglett leaped with a battle cry and swiped at the vines with a glowing claw. Carnivine winced but held strong. The plant Pokemon snarled as it slapped Diglett away with another vine.

"Ash, I need your attention here!" Gary snapped near panic in his tone.

"Right," the boy muttered as he turned back to their greater foe. Gore and Aria were panting heavily as they glared at the monarch. Nidoking regarded his young adversaries with far more caution in his narrow, black eyes. _Even if Aria had more time to adjust to the ghostly energy here, her Teleport wouldn't be enough to turn the tide._ With Diglett and Vulpix fighting Carnivine the duo stood no chance against the poison-type. His eyes widened when Bulbasaur began to wiggle and twist in his hold. "No, he's too strong for you!" Ash said with a frown. To his frustration the saurian's struggles only increased.

"Ash… we need all the help we can get here," Gary muttered, his eyes trained on their opponent. He heard Aria hoot and a Flame Burst explode, but Ash kept his eyes on Gary stubbornly.

"She's a year and a half old!" Ash snapped his frown becoming a scowl. "She might be a grass-type, but that's still practically a toddler-"

"She'll be old enough to be an Ivysaur soon," the brown-haired trainer interrupted with a scowl of his own. "You can't keep coddling her!" Ash flinched at the boy's uncharacteristically harsh tone. "If you truly care, and want her to become a Venusaur, you'll let her do what Pokemon were born to do," Gary finished in a gentler tone. Ash looked down into his Pokemon's hopeful pink eyes. He shut his eyes and inhaled sharply. _I can't believe we met just four months ago..._ "Ash," his brother urged with a furrowed brow.

"Just don't stay still," Ash said, falling to a knee. She nuzzled his cheek before racing down the steps. Gore's eyes lit up and he sent his partner a look of approval. The trainer clenched his fists. _This is the way of Pokemon._ The trainer sighed, the tension fading as quickly as it came. He drew Houndour's Pokeball. The dark-type was unpredictable, but he possessed a decent amount of power. Power that they could very well need to deal with Nidoking. _But can he keep his cool?_ The trainer bit his lip. There was no other choice.

Houndour blinked owlishly as he scanned his surroundings. He gave Bulbasaur a small glare, then he saw Gore struggling with Nidoking. In any other situation, the dog yelping and leaping three feet into the air would have been hilarious. "Listen to me!" Ash growled more harshly than meant to. "I want you to help them take out Carnivine!" he continued. The dog was too relieved to be away from Nidoking to be bothered by his tone.

The dog took several steps away from the Nidoking, eyeing him warily as he moved, before racing to Vulpix and Diglett's aid. "Could use some help here!" Gary snapped with near panic in his tone. Ash snapped his attention to the battle. Nidoking spat a large glob of poison at Aria that the Magmar rolled away from narrowly. He grabbed the Ice Shard Gore sent his way and threw it at the Magmar's face. Aria's eyes widened in alarm at the ice's speed, then she disappeared in a flash of pink light. The fire-type reappeared a few yards away from the attack panting heavily.

"Return her! She's no good to us without Teleport!" Ash snarled. Gary scowled at him, but reached for her Pokeball. Nidoking roared and charged the helpless Magmar. "Hurry!" he shouted. Bulbasaur raced in front of Aria and shot a cloud of green dust at the monarch. The saurian took a fearful step back when the king only snarled. Aria swatted the little Pokemon away and fired a small Flame Burst at Nidoking.

The fire soared over the Nido's head and into Bulbasaur's Sleep Powder. Nidoking roared as the Flame Burst exploded and ignited the dust. He stumbled, then tripped and hit the ground hard in front of the Magmar. Ash's eyes narrowed. That attack hurt the beast more than even Gore's Icy Wind. Icy Wind wasn't the best technique for lowering temperature, but it still was dangerous for a ground-type. A flash of red that indicated Aria had been recalled snapped him from his musings.

Gary cupped his face with his hands. "Diglett get in here! They can handle Carnivine!" The mole squeaked and tore to his new battle. The mole had several red, angry marks on his form that looked as though he had been whipped. Ash tugged on the bill of his hat as he took in the other battle. Gore, Diglett, and Bulbasaur could handle Nidoking as long as they didn't let him recover.

Carnivine was fending off Houndour and Vulpix admirably. The plant's vines were almost more black than green, and yet, he found the stubborn gleam in its dark eyes hadn't faded. Vulpix had a few small cuts, and though, he had only been in a bit of the fight, Houndour did as well. _Might need to work on his evasion._ "Keep moving Houndour!"

"Ash, if you can distract him for a while, Diglett can trap him!" his brother called drawing the raven-haired boy's attention. Ash furrowed his brow. _If Diglett knew Sand Tomb he should have used it by now._ "By digging a tunnel under him!" Gary snapped.

"Oh ri-right," Ash mutter with an awkward chuckle. "Relay that to the others," he said a bit loudly. Gore turned to him with a blink. "It means tell them the plan!" he explained with a scowl. Nidoking hissed and threw a boulder larger than Gore into the Piloswine's right side. Gore squealed as he was thrown off his hooves and sent tumbling. _He realizes we're a threat now!_ Two small seeds, so tiny that to the monarch they would have seemed like insects, landed on Nidoking's back.

Bulbasaur hissed and glowing vines burst from the seeds. The vines quickly wrapped around one of the large spikes on the monarch's back. The poison-type seemed to not have noticed as he opted to throw another chunk of earth at Gore. The Piloswine squealed in pain as he was knocked back onto his side again. "Remember the feeling from Mega Drain and link it with your Leech Seed!" Ash instructed his tone urgent. Nidoking snapped his head to the trainer with narrowed eyes. "Hurry!" She snorted and shut her eyes. After a moment, a light glow began to develop in her bulb.

Nidoking turned to her with a snarl. Ash swallowed as the monarch ripped out a chunk of earth. Then countless glowing leaves, cut into Nidoking's back, making him hiss in agony. The poison-type grunted and directed the boulder into the Petal Dance's path. Saur and Hopper took a few steps out of their hiding place, and hissed a challenge. The monarch bared his fangs in response. Ash glanced at Bulbasaur. The glow in her bulb had grown stronger, but her eyes were still closed. He ground his teeth. _Not yet._

"I have come to save you my damsels!" Janine chirped making the boys jump and shout in alarm.

"Stop doing that!" Ash demanded tugging on his hat. "Look, just - Gary explain the damn plan!"

"Again with the orders," Gary sighed.

"Carnivine!" James screamed, drawing the trainer's attention. The plant Pokemon looked to have been blasted through a window by Ash's Pokemon. Vulpix was panting heavily and favoring her right side. Ash clenched his fists. Her reddish brown fur had a large, and rapidly expanding, spot that looked wet. He returned the vixen immediately. Houndour looked not to have been touched since he last checked on them.

"Attack him from a distance, but don't hit his back!" Ash commanded. Houndour gave a happy bark. The dog Pokemon almost looked relieved knowing he wouldn't have to get close to the poisonous king. Ash snapped back to the monarch when he heard a shriek of pain. Hopper had several, small barbs sticking out of her right arm that Ash recalled being on Nidoking's tail. She panted heavily for a moment, then she sank to a knee.

"Hopper that's enough back off!" Janine cried as she scrambled to draw the Kangaskhan's Pokeball. Nidoking snorted and shot a large glob or poison at the injured Pokemon. Mercifully, the scarlet light of her Pokeball consumed Hopper before it could land. Saur snarled and fired seven glowing leaves at the monarch. Nidoking spat a glob of poison that eroded the leaves without effort. Saur swiped the poison away with a thick vine. An orb of fire, far smaller than Aria's but larger than Vulpix's, crashed into Nidoking's right arm making him hiss and stumble. Gore squealed as rammed the monarch from his left.

Nidoking snarled and dug his giant nails into the earth. Gore growled and shoved the monarch with all of his might. But even off balance, his foe could not be overwhelmed. Saur roared and fired countless, glowing petals. Nidoking's eyes widened in alarm, then he brought a claw beneath Gore and threw him into the petal's path. The Piloswine shrieked as the Petal Dance cut into his back. The Ivysaur narrowed his eyes and the petals fell immediately. Ash paled when his partner fell to the earth without a sound. "Gore," he whispered glaring at the monarch balefully.

"I-I'm so sorry," Janine mumbled with tears coming to her eyes. Gary was steadying himself against one of the center's columns. His disbelieving eyes were trained on the Piloswine and the reddish brown patch on his back.

"It's alright, he's not that easy to kill," Ash muttered as he recalled the boar. "Just focus on killing that damn rhino," he growled with such hatred that it made the two flinch. Houndour stared at the spot Gore had been moments ago blankly. Then he threw his head back and howled furiously. The black dog fired bursts of fire at the monarch with . Nidoking grunted as the first three orbs exploded on his right side. The monarch's eyes widened when he realized another three were on their way. He grunted and brought up a boulder. Houndour hacked and stumbled, his last Flame Burst little more than sparks. "Stop it!" Ash shouted.

The dog turned to him with the savage gleam he recognized from their fight with Golbat. A boulder crashed down on the making him yelp in agony. "Houndour," Ash whispered with wide eyes. Nidoking grunted and punched Saur with a glowing claw that sent him skidding several yards away. He hissed and sent a large rock sailing at the pinned dark-type. Houndour yipped fearfully and flailed. Diglett sprung from the earth with a squeak, and blasted a stream of mud at the rock.

The mole Pokemon's Mud Shot couldn't stop the stone, but it did slow it enough for Houndour to wiggle free. Diglett landed in a ball and rolled away from the stone. The monarch let out a low growl that had the hairs on the back of Ash's neck standing. Saur blasted a green orb into his muscular chest that made the beast grunt. "Diglett, nice save! Is it ready!" Ash called with a relieved smirk.

"Good job! Now double check it!" Gary barked. Nidoking snapped his head to the mole with narrowed eyes. The monarch was intelligent enough to realize their plan relied on the spunky Diglett. Saur and Houndour punished him immediately with a Flame Burst and an Energy Ball. The king roared and slung a large rock at the defiant duo. Houndour spat a small ball that exploded on impact with the stone making it fall in front of them harmlessly.

"Why use such a small rock?" Ash muttered. _He must be getting tired._ "Bulbasaur?" Ash called scouring the battlefield. _I can't believe I forgot her!_ He clenched his fists. _If one of the Nidoking's boulders can knock over Gore..._ Saur giving a pained grunt made him snap back to the battle. The Ivysaur had three small barbs sticking out of its thick right leg. Houndour was panting heavily, yet he bared his canines in defiance when the king regarded him.

The boy felt a rush of pride. "Keep moving, buddy!" he advised receiving a bark. _I'll find Bulbasaur later._ Abruptly, Nidoking roared and charged their Pokemon with a white glow surrounding him.

"Saur use Sleep Powder on Houndour!" Janine cried, making Ash flinch and Houndour whine. Saur, ever loyal, shot a large cloud of green dust at his comrade. The dog yelped and, acting on instinct, spat an Ember into the cloud. Nidoking's eyes widened in alarm, but his great bulk couldn't be stopped easily mid-charge, so he crossed his thick arms over his face. The dust ignited drawing a shriek of pain from the monarch, and sending Houndour tumbling away from the cloud. The boy heard something similar give and the Nidoking shriek, but he didn't care anymore.

"What the hell are you doing?" Ash growled, taking a menacing step toward the kunoichi. She held her hands above her head with wide eyes.

"Easy, Ash," Gary said, stepping between them. "Let's let her explain before you strangle her!" the continued when Ash's eyes narrowed into slits. Janine breathed a sigh of relief and lowered her hands. Gary turned to her. "Now what the hell were you doing?" he demanded as he shoved her against the column making her cry out. Ash stared at Gary wide-eyed.

"Hou-Houndour isn't that hurt!" the girl blurted. "Most Houndour are small and fragile, so they run away and shoot fire when they get scared!" she elaborated tugging on Gary's hands ineffectually.

"That's right, they do," the gray-eyed boy said slowly loosening his hold. "You ignited the Sleep Powder knowing he would run, then," Gary stated rather than asked. He released his hold on the kunoichi when she nodded. Ash inhaled deeply. He exhaled and with it most of the tension in his body fled. He glanced at the hole - that he assumed Nidoking had fallen in - with trepidation. The boy breathed a sigh of relief once he realized the only thing coming out of it was smoke.

"Houndour, Saur, Diglett are you alright?" he asked, turning away from his fellow trainers. Saur grunted and gave Janine a chiding look. She flinched. Ash suspected the Ivysaur's disapproval bothered her more than being shoved against stone. _She calls him little brother right?_ Diglett pushed himself out of the ground with a squeak. The mole looked at the trap he had created with pride. Houndour limped toward him slowly with his ears flattened against his head. Looking into the exhausted dog's eyes, Ash vowed to give his team a few days off. "Great job pal," the trainer said, giving the dog a small smile. Houndour whuffed happily and doubled his speed.

"Great work, Diglett," Gary congratulated with a beam. The mole squeaked and puffed his tiny chest out.

The smile faded a bit after a moment. "Bulbasaur!" the boy called with a furrowed brow. Ash bit his lip. "Houndour try and sniff her-" A familiar trill froze the air in his lungs. One of the smaller rocks Nidoking had thrown wobbled then fell. Bulbasaur shook her head before glaring at the rock. Ash grinned as she trotted to them with a limp. Her left leg was bleeding slightly and her eye on the same side was swollen shut, but she would be fine. Ash heard a bellow and something heavy shifting near the bottom of the center's steps. _But Saur didn't move and Gore's in his ball…_ He glanced at his fellow trainers who looked as confused as he felt.

Saur hissed and wrapped his vines around Diglett. The ground-type shrieked as he was thrown into Janine's chest. A furious roar made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Cold horror clenched his heart. Nidoking burst from the hole with another roar. Over the course of the battle several of the monarch's plates of armor had been ripped off. The calm confidence that had been present in Nidoking's eyes was replaced with a fury so intense that the young trainers found themselves frozen.

Saur roared a challenge and blasted an Energy Ball at the monarch. Nidoking snarled and swiped it away as he charged. Houndour leaped to the Ivysaur's defense with a small shot of fire. The flame bursting made the monarch flinch. He dug his nails into the earth and sent a large stone at Saur with a wave of his arm. Then he turned to the fire-type with a growl that made the dog whimper. He waved his arm, and blasted a rock at the dog. Houndour yelped as the rock crashed into his face and knocked him onto his side. Ash and Janine flinched and snapped out of their daze. "Houndour attack from a distance!" The dog barked and scrambled to his feet.

"Saur, cripple one of his arms!" the kunoichi barked, her face pale. The Ivysaur barked, and slapped at the monarch's right arm with both of his appendages. He wrapped the vines around the poison-type's arm and pulled mightily. Nidoking snarled, then he grabbed the Ivysaur's weapons with his left claw. He roared and yanked the vines with all his strength. Saur bellowed as he was torn off his feet. The monarch cocked a glowing fist back and growled. "Razor Leaf!" Janine screamed, grabbing her scarf in a hold so tight her knuckles turned white.

With a desperate squawk, the grass-type shot several, glowing leaves at Nidoking. The monarch spewed a glob of poison that melted through the leaves with ease. Then he brought his glowing claw down on Saur's face with all his might. The Ivysaur hit the ground with a crack. Saur was unmoving and deathly quiet at Nidoking's feet. Ash vaguely noted a girl giving a strangled scream over the pounding in his ears. "Flame Burst! Keep moving!" he commanded on instinct.

His dark-type howled his understanding and fired a small burst at the monarch. Nidoking batted the Ember away with a low growl. The poisonous patriarch panted heavily and glared at the dog. Two tiny, green things landed on Nidoking's uninjured arm. Ash's eyes widened as glowing vines sprung from the seeds and wrapped around the monarch's thick arms. Leech Seeds, and they had the most powerful glow he'd seen the seeds give yet.

Nidoking roared, alarmed by the unseen attack. He brought his injured arm halfway across his chest before wincing. Ash's eyes lit up. "Hammer him!" Houndour snapped out of his stunned silence and barked. Nidoking grunted urgently and tore a rock out of the earth to take the small fire. Diglett gave a battle cry and wiggled out of Janine's hold.

"Come back!" the girl cried.

"Diglett, stop it!" Gary barked his face pale. The mole ignored their pleas and raced at the furious beast. Diglett shot a forceful stream of mud into the poisonous monarch's injured arm. Nidoking hissed in pain, then he swung wildly at the bold ground-type with his tail. Diglett leaped over the appendage and landed on the monarch's face with glowing claws. The Pokemon squeaked and swiped at Nidoking's face with a dual Scratch. Houndour shot toward their enemy with a snarl and black energy surrounding his maw.

The monarch roared and shook his head rapidly. Houndour swerved around the flailing beast and bit the Nidoking's injured arm. The patriarch fell to a knee and gasped. For a moment it seemed the beast had finally succumbed to the toll of the battle, then Nidoking roared and thrust his left arm out. Houndour yelped and flailed as he was thrown through the air before crashing into the center's steps.

The monarch ripped Diglett off his face. The poisonous predator squeezed the flailing mole until he screeched. Nidoking gave the little ground-type, a look of disgust before throwing him at Houndour. The vines surrounding Nidoking's glow increased as he took a menacing step towards Bulbasaur. Ash felt his heart sink as he saw the saurian shut her eyes tightly. "Move!" he roared.

The wild look in Nidoking's eyes became nearly feral in its intensity. The grass-type's bulb began to emit a glow again and the Leech Seed's hue deepened as well. Nidoking snarled, lowered his head, and charged the unmoving dinosaur. "Jump with your vines!" Bulbasaur's eyes snapped open at his call. The saurian pushed against the ground with her vines with all her might. In his frenzied state Nidoking didn't seem to notice his prey's escape as he thrust his horn into the earth. He hissed and shook his head vigorously to free himself.

Bulbasaur squared herself and concentrated on the seeds. Nidoking stiffened, then he roared and tore himself from the earth. He took a slow step toward the tiny dinosaur, then another. Nidoking swayed and wobbled but he continued his march, determined to end the grass-type's existence. Ash ground his teeth. Even near death a patriarch could easily kill even the strongest humans. He - a thirteen year old who had been too impatient and arrogant to truly listen to his grandfather's attempts to teach him martial arts - stood no chance. The trainer turned to Houndour and Diglett but the mole and the dog were so exhausted they barely acknowledged the threat.

Nidoking took another, smaller step before his eyes widened. He sank to his knee with a look of disbelief. Finally, his strength failed him, and he fell to the earth. The raven-haired stared at the patriarch's prone form with wide eyes. Then Janine whooped, Gary gave a relieved smile, and Ash fist pumped. He was at the bottom of the stairs without realizing it. The trainer sank to a knee. "I guess I should stop underestimating you," he said with a wry grin. Bulbasaur crooned tiredly and nuzzled his knee. Houndour whined as he limped down to them. "You were great too, bud," Ash told the dog with a laugh.

"You're definitely the toughest mole I've ever seen," Gary told his Diglett as he cradled him.

"We all know who the real hero is," Janine whispered into Saur's ear. The Ivysaur gave her an amused snort and licked her cheek. A popping sound from behind her made the girl jump.

"People of Lavender! We've come to-" Erika's impassioned declaration ended in a blink. She looked between the unconscious form of Nidoking, Meowth's corpse, and the young trainer's exhausted Pokemon. "Oh, well, fine then," she mumbled with a pout.

xxxxxx

A.N. Thank you for reading!

Didn't see Bulbasaur, Diglett, and Houndour being the ones to take Nidoking out did you? I'm a firm believer in size and power mattering, but I also believe that if you're smart, and play your cards right, you can stand up to something much more powerful than you are. (In a human's case, substitute Leech Seed with a knife or something.)

I wanna say that Diglett and Bulbasaur are 7.4 and 5.9 pounds respectively. They beat something that weighs about three hundred times more their weight.

Houndour's a little under a hundred pounds, for now anyway, he's going to bulk up a lot with Ash taking care of him, so about eighteen times his size.


	15. Chapter 15

Happy Thanksgiving!

Episode 15

A Glimpse

xxxxx

"Does this usually happen when she overexerts her psychic powers?" Gary inquired with narrowed eyes. Ash gave him an irritated glance. _Does he have to use words like that for everything? Can't he just say, is she always this tired? At least he's back to normal. That's something, I guess._

"Yes, and it happens far too often for my taste," Erika said, laying another wet rag on Sabrina's forehead. The door opened with a hissing sound. Mr. Fuji gave them a small, gentle smile and waved a greeting. The old man had a bandage above his right eye, and a few black spots on his shirt white shirt. Otherwise, he looked untouched by the battle he had just won.

Talc swaggered in after his trainer with a triumphant gleam in his dark eyes. One of his thick, brown arms had gauze wrapped around it, and his chest and belly were covered in tiny cuts. _Likely the work of a few Zubat and Golbat._ Ash couldn't help but swallow when he noticed that those were the only wounds the old Marowak had. Talc nodded at the gathered trainers with far more respect than he had earlier. Marowak were tough, given their size they had to be, they'd earned his respect with their victory.

"No matter how much stronger I become, I can't stop these things," Erika whispered, her green eyes filling with unshed tears. Ash averted his eyes, feeling like he was intruding on something private. He wasn't the only one judging by Gary's fiddling with something small. Mr. Fuji cleared his throat quietly.

"Well, boys, why don't you join Janine in the cafeteria?" Mr. Fuji offered, his smile widening. Ash nodded and pushed off the wall. The boy glanced at Sabrina's pale, sweat covered face before speeding through the door.

"Thank you for coming to help us," Gary said quietly. He shut the door when he received a half-hearted nod.

"Sabrina's not changed much since she was a girl," the old man said shaking his head. "Always so reckless, just like her father," he added with a sigh.

"I'm going to go check on my girls and Houndour," Ash stated tugging on the bill of his hat.

"Good idea, I'll go with you," Gary decided with a nod.

"Nah, you're hungry, so eat," the raven-haired trainer retorted with a dismissive wave. "I'll check on your team too," he snapped when Gary looked ready to protest. The gray-eyed boy's belly gave a rumble that made him flush and Ash snicker.

"Come now, our center has the finest sandwiches in Kanto! Meat brought in from Fuschia, vegetables from Celadon's greenhouses, Seafood from the waters of Cerulean!" by the end of the old man's declaration Gary was nearly drooling as he was led to the cafeteria.

"Jeez, he kinda sounds like he's advertising," Ash muttered as he strode to the room the nurse had set up for their least injured members. _Room 214._ He sighed heavily as he opened the door. Even after five years, the healing pods still baffled him. Some of them could expand so dramatically that they could even hold many adult ground and normal-type Pokemon could fit. Well, obviously not including powerful Donphan and Pokemon like Rhyperior, Golem, or emergencies. The idea of someone trying to put an Onix in one elicited a smirk from him.

Crowie's right wing was wrapped in a gauze, but aside from that, she only had one small bandage on her middle. Eevee didn't look to have been hit at all. She'd likely collapsed from the strain of their day. Gaari was laying in her pod with her thick, red tongue hanging out and her eyes shot. Ash grinned at her. Saur didn't appear as hurt as Ash knew he was. Taking a full power Mega Punch, and a tail swipe from Nidoking had to have at least broken a rib. Diglett had several, nasty bruises that resembled Nidoking's claw around his middle. Mercifully, the mole's ribs and innards hadn't taken any major damage. Gore, Aria, and Hopper weren't in the room.

He sighed, disappointed. The trainer hadn't expected them to be but it still made his chest ache. Aria's body had probably already started to adjust to the monstrously strong ghostly energy in the Noble Town. She wasn't in danger of dying, but there was a strong possibility she would be bound to her bed up for another day. Ash took off his hat and ran his hand through his hair. Gore had more broken ribs than regular ribs. The Piloswine's body may as well have been one massive bruise. Gore would be healing for at least a week, and would have to take it easy for a couple weeks afterward. _Which means we'll likely be here for bout a month._

Hopper took a Poison Sting from one of the greatest predators in Kanto. It was in that moment that Ash realized how fortunate he was to have a team so strong against poison. Elite Four Koga didn't have much more power than the average master, but his poison put him on par with a fully realized Champion. Houndour and Bulbasaur were immune by virtue of being dark and poison-types, Gore could be affected, but the sheer amount necessary to put him down made it foolish to try. Only King and Vulpix were truly vulnerable to poison, but their armor and psychic shields gave them excellent defenses.

Shaking his head, he decided to check on the rest of his team. Vulpix had several, small cuts along her lithe form that already looked to be healing. She would be up and moving after a single night. King had tried to stop his impact with the house with his right claw. The claw had snapped off. It would regrow in a day, so he too would be in for a single night. Houndour had as many cuts as Vulpix, but for his much sturdier frame it wasn't nearly as bad. The stones he had taken from Nidoking weren't nearly as big as the ones Saur and Gore had endured, but they still managed to bruise his ribs. The dog would be fighting fit in about a week, by his estimate.

Finally, he turned to Bulbasaur. He was shocked to find two, large, pink eyes staring back at him curiously. The trainer gave her a stilted chuckle. _She was awake the whole time, wasn't she?_ "So, how are you feeling, oh slayer of Nidoking?" Ash asked, crossing his arms over his chest and smirking. She tilted her head to the side, before turning and pointing at Houndour's pod with her vine. "Yeah, they did great, but you're the one that finished him, so people are going to give you all the credit," the trainer explained as he moved to release her from the pod.

Bulbasaur's face scrunched up in confusion. _Where's King when I need him?_ "People are idiots," he said as he lifted her onto his shoulder. She snorted in agreement. Ash settled himself into a chair with a sigh. He hissed as the strain of his day settled in his calves. Over the course of about seven hours; Gore had killed another Pokemon, they fought at least forty Pokemon, and defeated a young Nidoking. _And it's not even three yet. But there is one good thing._

"You did really good today," he began staring into pink eyes. "I know I said it was too early, but you did really well, and I'm, uh, really proud of you," Ash continued averting his eyes. Bulbasaur narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to the side. "What I mean is, I-I picked out a name for you and-" his declaration was cut off by her head butting his cheek. "Can't you go back to licki-" Bulbasaur started to lick his cheek enthusiastically. Ash lifted her off his lap and held her at arm's length. "Just hit me gentler," he sighed. She cooed and held her legs out expectantly.

"Ya gonna lick me?" Ash inquired bringing her closer. Bulbasaur snorted. "Good, now for your name, I picked something that really I think fits you personally and type wise," he said as he settled her into his lap. The saurian shuffled impatiently. Ash suppressed his smirk with great difficulty. Apparently, he didn't do well enough because Bulbasaur narrowed her eyes at him. "Anyw~ay…. The name I picked for you is…." She cuffed him with a vine. "It's Willow, damn it! Your name's Willow!" the trainer declared with a wince. _I swear I can't get away with anything._

Her eyes narrowed again. "Willow trees aren't the biggest or the toughest. They bend, but don't break, and endure no matter what comes their way," Ash babbled. Bulbasaur stared at him as though he had grown a second head. "L-look I've some others, so ya know, if you want to hear them," he offered averting his eyes. A dark green vine poked his forehead. Ash flinched before turning back to her. She poked his head again more insistently. He furrowed his brow and reached for the thin appendage.

The boy shook it lightly noting how her eyes seemed to light up. Ash smirked. _That's right, just like when we met._ Four months ago, she had been too frightened to even try fighting, but now, she was willing to fight with a Nidoking to protect her herd. Every member of his team had changed really. Pride swelled up in him until he was certain his chest would burst. _But have I gone anywhere?_ Ash deflated with a sigh. Looking back at their struggles with the Rockets, he could only see flaws.

He should have told Gore to use mud from the start. He should have had a talk with Houndour the moment he had an opportunity. Ash flinched as a vine slapped his forehead. Bulbasau- Willow now - nuzzled his cheek, making him smile. "Am I that I easy to see through? That a berry lovin' mini dino and a baby Piloswine can see through, for shame," he sighed his shoulders slumping. She snorted at him, unamused by his jest. "Fine not my best," Ash admitted shrugging his shoulders.

"But, er, it's not like I'm worried or anything, but you do like your new name right?" the trainer asked. Willow warbled, amused by his anxiety. They blinked as excited whimpers met their ears. Houndour was pawing at the clear glass of his pod. Ash glanced down at the saurian. The Bulbasaur snorted and hopped onto another chair. The dark and fire-type Pokemon pawed at the glass and whimpered more insistently when he drew closer. "Easy boy!" he snapped. The glass was thick, but he would rather the dog not leave scratch marks on them.

The boy released Houndour. The dog leaped up, wrapped his paws around the boy's neck, and licked him vigorously. Ash sputtered and backpedaled quickly. The boy squawked as he tripped. He hit the ground head first. Ash groaned, it felt like Gary had hit him with his bat again. Houndour blinked and tilted his head to the side. The dog huffed before returning to licking his new trainer. "Bulba- Willow, help me out here!" The saurian looked between her trainer and Houndour, then she turned away and curled up in the chair. "Traitor!" Ash cried as he shoved Houndour's muzzle away.

"You want a name boy? If you get off me, I'll give you one!" the trainer offered while trying to keep his mouth squeezed shut. A vine sprung out and slapped his forehead lightly. Ash winced and glared at Willow. The Bulbasaur didn't even deign to uncurl herself as she retracted her vine. _Vindictive little grass-type._ "That's why you're so excited right?" the dog panted happily. "Alright then, what about Firestarter?" Houndour looked confused. "Bones? Biter?" his offers were met with the same blank look. He considered offering Sir Lick's A Lot, mostly as a joke, but decided to keep it to himself. Ash was too tired to keep up with the energetic dog.

The trainer bit his lip. Long ago people had believed the howls of a Houndoom to be the call of the Reaper. They were called the hounds of hell, he believed. _Hellfang…_ "Hellfire?" Ash offered focusing on the anxious dog again. Houndour's dark eyes lit up so strongly they almost shone with his happiness. "Hellfire it is then," he said with a smile. Ash pushed the dog lightly when he tried to lick him again.

"Let's go get some food."

 _xxxxx_

 _Mr. Fuji has excellent taste in sandwiches._ Ash considered thanking the man for his recommendation, but opted not to in favor of shoveling more food in his mouth. Gary was inhaling food at such a pace, that Ash was certain their mother would pop up and chastise him. Janine's face was steadily becoming blue and she had tears in the corners of her eyes. Ash had seen her eat several peppers whole in succession, but he hadn't seen her stop to breathe yet. In hindsight, the decision not to pack food for their visit to Lavender was a miscalculation. One so severe that it made them eat at a speed his Piloswine would beam at.

"If you hadn't saved the town I'd have to call your parents," Mr. Fuji pointed out his tone dry.

"Good thing we didn't tell you our last names then," Ash whispered with a snicker.

"Especially true for you," Gary put in giving him an amused look. Ash twitched when his Pokemon and Janine turned to the boy with interested looks. "A couple years back Ash and Gore broke into the Diner - our mom owns a diner by the way - and they ate about a month's worth of pizza!" Janine snickered and the girls barked amusedly. Hellfire blinked, confused and scratched himself behind his ear.

"Yeah, well, Aria set the tapestry on fire!" Ash snapped, narrowing his eyes at his traitorous Pokemon. Willow snorted and hid her face behind a small leg. Vulpix huffed and puffed herself up before turning back to her pork. _I get the feeling the pork thing could be an issue somewhere down the line._

"First of all it was drapes! Secondly the only reason she set the drapes on fire is because Gore was goading her!" Gary countered glaring at him. "He stole her lunch three days in a row! Maybe if you took better care of him the drapes would still be here," he said with a shrug and a smirk.

"You think you could do better?" Ash snarled clenching his fists.

"Uh, guys-" Janine tried to intervene, but Mr. Fuji grabbed her shoulder gently. She turned to the old man with a furrowed brow. He simply shook his head and motioned for her to sit down.

"I don't think I can, I know I can," his brother boasted with a laugh. He's standing before he's even fully aware of having moved. His fist crashed into Gary's cheek before the gray-eyed boy could react. Hellfire yelped as the boy was flung onto him and knocked him over. Willow and Vulpix stared at their trainer wide-eyed, then they bolted and hid behind Talc. The old Marowak glanced at the boys without interest.

The raven-haired boy dove at the groaning trainer with a snarl. Gary squawked as his brother wrapped his hands around his throat. He grabbed a Pokeball from his belt and slammed it into his Ash's temple, knocking him off his brother. Gary brought his elbow down onto the other boy's head, forcing his chin into the floor.

"Shouldn't we be doing somethin'?" Janine whispered, glancing between the veteran trainer and the wrestling boys.

"No, no, I'm sure they'll be fine," Mr. Fuji responded taking a bite of his sandwich. The veteran tilted his head away from a Pokeball Gary had launched at his brother. "You see boys have their own way of communicating with one another. Each punch is a declaration of brotherly love and proof of their bond," Mr. Fuji explained with a small smile. Janine winced when Ash shoved Gary into the wall.

"I hope a boy doesn't care that much for me anytime soon," the kunoichi muttered with a shudder.

"I imagine Koga and Jane feel the same way!" the veteran said with a laugh.

"How did you know?" the girl asked stiffening.

"Ah, so you don't remember me then, well you were rather young, I suppose," he said stroking his chin. "We met when your parents, Aunt Aya, and I helped to calm the Great Kangaskhan nearly eight years ago," Mr. Fuji told her leaning back in his chair.

"Oh! I remember now, you're the old guy who gave me all that chocolate!" Janine chirped bouncing in her seat. "How've ya been?"

"Retirement has been treating us very well, thank you," Mr. Fuji answered the lines around his eyes crinkling as he smiled. Talc gave his trainer a dry look before returning to his meal. "Though, I do feel some of us haven't taken kindly to slowing down," he continued giving the Marowak an amused look. Janine frowned.

"Where's your Crobat? She didn't get hurt did she?" the kunoichi's tone bordered on demanding.

"My Crobat, Abira, is feeling her age. She's resting with Beryl and Mariah, that's our dear nurse, and her Poliwhirl," the old man explained, holding a hand up to halt any further panicked inquiries. "I'd best be going and getting them in a moment or I won't be having dinner here," Mr. Fuji said rising with a grunt. Talc gave them a curt nod, then he turned and sauntered after his trainer.

Ash gasped and pushed his palm against his brother's cheek weakly. He collapsed onto the other boy with a groan. "I-I yield," Gary groaned. He grinned triumphantly before slumping completely. "You were suppose' to get up!" his brother cried pushing him weakly. Ash just grunted and trapped his hands. He wasn't moving until his breathing evened. Not even the Reaper could make him move.

"S~o this is what ya do after not seeing each other for months," Janine observed staring at them as though they were doing something ridiculous.

"Yeah, what'dya think we'd do, hug?" Ash inquired with a scoff. _Girls are clueless._ Then a violent shaking came from the earth, sending him sliding off Gary. He heard Janine shout and Hellfire yelp as a table was knocked onto its side. Another wave of vibrations sent Willow, rolling onto her trainer's face. There was a roar, then screams came from the direction Mr. Fuji had disappeared in. "What the hell was that?" the trainer demanded as he pushed himself to his feet.

"It has to be an Earthquake attack!" Gary growled, pushing a chair off his head. "And a really strong one if we can feel it here!" Talc gave a cry and Abira shrieked as they rushed to engage their opponent.

"I-I've never felt one this strong before," Janine admitted crawling out from underneath her table. "He's probably gonna need our help! Go on ahead, I'm going to go get Gaari and Crowie!" she cried over her shoulder as she raced to her Pokemon.

"Ready?" Ash asked giving his team a sharp look. Hellfire whined and shuffled before pushing his wet nose against the trainer's hand. Earth manipulating Pokemon could easily smother fire attacks with their mud moves, and crush the far smaller fire-types with their bulk and stones. His fear was understandable. Vulpix was staring in the direction Mr. Fuji had disappeared in with trepidation. Willow pushed her head against Vulpix's gently. The vixen gave the tiny dinosaur an unreadable look, then she gave Ash a bark.

"We're good too," Gary declared with a wince as another tremor made itself known. Wedge whirred its agreement. The magnet looked reborn after absorbing electricity from the center. A surge of guilt surged through him. Ash had been so elated with Willow finally receiving her name that he had forgotten the brave magnet Pokemon.

"Use as little fire as possible! Hellfire you'll hang back and guard us," he told his Pokemon. A cracking sound reminiscent of the Kingler knocking down trees made the group flinch. "There's something incredibly tough out front too!" the trainer cried his tone incredulous. "The old man'll have to handle himself, we've gotta take care of that thing!" Ash said clenching his jaw. "Let's go y'all!" His Pokemon barked and raced after their trainer.

"Again with the orders," Gary muttered. "Let's go make sure the idiot doesn't kill himself," he told Wedge rolling his eyes.

xxxxxx

Ash's heart froze as he stared at the massive blade of ice before them. The blade was far larger than he was tall, and thicker than the members of his team put together. The chill it gave off left the stone surrounding it covered in a layer of frost. "It went clean through the center wall," Gary observed with a harsh intake of breath.

Hellfire narrowed his eyes before he spat shot of flame at the blade. Ash yelped and dove away from the Flame Burst. The boy hissed as a stray spark hit his jeans. In the back of his mind, the trainer was aware of his Houndour yelping in agony. He threw some of the sleet onto the lit pant leg. Ash sighed in relief when the spark went out. "Let 'im go it was an accident." Willow stopped slapping a whimpering Hellfire with her vines with visible reluctance. The Houndour shot his team an apologetic look.

Ash patted the dog's head before rising with a grunt. Glass shattering made the group flinch. A shard of ice had been shot through the center's large front window. "It's taunting us," Ash snarled.

"This ice feels familiar somehow," Gary noted with a furrowed brow. "But… well, it doesn't matter, I suppose, you go first, Ash, then Wedge'll use his Supersonic on them." Ash nodded and gestured for his team to follow him as he crept to the center's door. There was a faint vibration and a shriek that sounded a great deal like Gaari. _Talc must be countering the Earthquake with his own._

"Bulb- Willow, I want you to hang back this time," he instructed giving her a quick glance. The Bulbasaur cooed in a tone that sounded relieved. The trainer flattened himself against the center's wall, then he turned to peek beyond his shield. _Ya know, I'm not really sure how much this is going to help against that Icicle Crash._ Standing several yards away from the steps, was a giant, angry looking Piloswine. The size of its great tusks proved it was a boar. His eyes were almost obscured by his thick, brown fur. His every exhale sent a small burst of snow from his nose.

"That can't be," Ash whispered wide-eyed. The mature Piloswine made his partner look like an errant Swinub. The giant Piloswine snapped his attention to them making him curse. Vulpix and Willow were shivering slightly. Hellfire glanced between where Gore was and the powerful swine with a bewildered look. Piloswine turned to the green-eyed aristocratic man with pale skin, and green hair and grunted. The swine's trainer wore a white suit with the black and red symbol of Team Rocket on it. _His shoes cost more than all the money I've earned in the past four months._ His green eyes, which were a shade lighter than Erika's deep emeralds, sharpened as the swine grunted.

"Ash what species is it?" Gary called with trepidation. It wasn't often he saw Ash hesitate.

"Come out now!" the green-haired man barked. _He kinda looks like that guy we fought with the Houndoom and Electabuzz._ "Do you know who I am?" he asked. "I am former Executive Archer! Come out now, or my friend here will make you!" The Piloswine puffed out his massive chest and snorted snow. Ash narrowed his eyes. There were several claw marks and two large, red marks on his chest. _Are those from Hellfang?_

"Executive?" Ash whispered, giving Gary a sharp glance. The gray-eyed boy flinched.

"Archer, that guy was the one who fought on par with Master Surge," Gary whispered with a harsh swallow.

"Very well, then, draw them out," Archer ordered with a sigh. Piloswine grunted and shut his eyes. Five icicles as long as the first materialized above the swine. Ash paled, then he backpedaled so rapidly he tripped. Piloswine jerked his neck, and the blades soared at them with such speed that they were little more than blurs. Something thin wrapped around his waist and yanked him through the air, drawing a yelp from him. He flinched when a sound like thunder assaulted his ears.

"L-lady Erika!" his brother cried, making his eyes snap open. Bloom the Meganium crooned at him before lowering him and Willow to the ground.

"T-thanks," Ash said with a relieved sigh. Willow gave the mighty saurian an adoring coo. Erika smiled at him as she and her partner strode to the door. Though the Meganium weighed at least a ton, he found her saunter no less graceful than the Ninetales. A small Ninetales and a taller than average Mr. Mime sauntered after them. The powerful vixen gave his Vulpix and Hellfire a haughty look as she passed them. _Could that be Vivi?_

"Our opponent is a Piloswine!" Gary called, eyeing one of the icicles that had landed near him warily.

"Piloswine," the Gym Leader repeated quietly with narrowed eyes. Bloom sniffed the air insistently, then growled deep in her throat. Erika patted her side lightly as they strode through the center's doors. Gary scrambled past him to the window. Ash cursed and forced himself to his feet. He didn't care how dangerous it was - he wasn't missing this fight. Willow raced past Gary then she lifted herself onto the windowsill with her vines.

"Erika and Bloom eh? Then, I expect Sabrina and Glace are the ones in the back," Archer said with a frown. Piloswine snarled and pawed at the ground. Bloom gave the Piloswine a cold glare and extended her vines. Ash grinned, his excitement, so great his fists were shaking. _She's fairly young but many grass-types have been known to grow quickly._ _I finally get to see it, a Master-Level battle!_ "A shame we won't be able to use our full teams today, but our partners dueling alone works just as well I suppose," the green-haired man stated his frown becoming a small, cold smile.

"Archer, Tundra, I should have known you were the ones behind this. Only you would be low enough to attack a city of mourning," Erika said her green eyes resembling stone. "I suppose It can't be helped, with your skill only a Gym less city couldn't repel you." Archer's eyes green narrowed and Tundra snarled.

"Tell me Erika, has your city recovered from the incident in the Game Corner?" the former Executive inquired his smile becoming sly. "My brothers, killed so many of yours that they lost track, but if I recall correctly, you lost around twenty Pokemon and a couple trainers correct?" Ash and Gary swallowed when Erika stiffened. A shiver raced up their spines that had nothing to with the Piloswine.

"Erect a barrier," the Gym Leader ordered quietly, her green eyes blazing. Archer's smile widened as Vivi and Mr. Mime's eyes glowed pink. _Erika does have the high ground and Meganium specialize in manipulating leaves and petals, so they don't have to get too close to his tusks. But, that Tundra definitely has an ice nature and definitely has Frost Breath or even Ice Beam. If Bloom gets hit her reflexes will dull. Her advantage is overwhelming but..._ Ash tugged on the bill of his hat. _Not to mention that Icicle Crash of his is stronger than Tiny's Stone Edge._

Bloom stomped her feet and produced countless petals from her flower. The Meganium blasted the petals with a snarl. Tundra growled deep in his throat before blasting a burst of powdery wind with the force of a blizzard at his foe. The howling winds and impossibly sharp petals seemed to roar as they met. Ash's eyes widened as one by one the petals fell covered in frost. Bloom roared, sending the hairs on the back of his neck standing, and stomped her giant foot. "Peace," Erika murmured giving the saurian a sharp glance.

Bloom growled, but assented, abandoning the petals for a barrier that covered her front and flanks. _That's a Light Screen?_ Tundra roared and squared himself, an action that reminded Ash of Gore activating Avalanche. The winds split into two and moved to attack the saurian's flanks. Bloom's barrier expanded so it enveloped her completely. She dug in her heels as the Blizzard crashed into her barrier. The wall cracked and bent under the force of the swine's relentless wind, but the Meganium's will refused to be broken. Tundra huffed, disappointed.

The swine took several steps away from the white steps, with his eyes trained on his opponent. Archer mimicked the movement, but opted to move to the right. Ash furrowed his brow as he watched the ground ripple around him as he moved. Bloom turned to Erika with a snort. "Don't get carried away now," she said quietly. The Meganium gave her trainer a dry look as she turned to stride down the steps.

Tundra jerked his neck, sending a shard of ice at the distracted saurian. Ash's warning was cut off when a small barrier materialized in front of the Meganium. The Ice Shard smashed into the barrier with a terrible crack and exploded into countless pieces. Bloom gave the swine a haughty look as she reached the bottom of the stairs. He squealed and stomped a hoof. A layer of frost began to develop beneath Tundra's great hoof. "Do it," Erika commanded.

Bloom squared herself before exhaling heavily. The Piloswine grunted in a tone he believed to be confused. "Stop her, you fool!" Archer cried slapping his face with his palm so hard Ash could hear it. Tundra inhaled deeply, making his great chest expand even further, then he blasted another massive gust of howling, snowy wind at his enemy.

Thorny vines, too many for him to count in his stunned state, larger and thicker than Bloom herself shot from the earth in front of their master. The raging wind slammed into the vines making them wither almost immediately. Ash and Gary gaped while Willow cheered as the vines grew to a height comparable to Wave. The vines reared back like an Arbok, then they struck with a speed too great for the swine to react. Tundra squealed as three of the vines slapped him off the earth and onto his side.

He righted himself quickly, only to find his other side assaulted by vines. Bloom snarled, and a vine wrapped around each of Tundra's stubby legs. Incredibly, more vines emerged from near Bloom's feet and shot out toward the struggling Piloswine from his flanks. "Crash Cutter!" Archer commanded his jaw clenched.

Tundra roared and a large, spinning, Icicle Crash with an edge sharper than any blade formed in front of him. But, before he could fire it, Bloom's Frenzy Plant came upon the Piloswine like a wave crashing onto a beach. Tundra's roar of agony made Ash wince, but a larger part of the boy was filled with relief. He sighed, his shoulders slumping as he did, and hugged his Bulbasaur tightly. Ash frowned when he realized tiny saurian's form was tight with tension. The trainer turned back to the fight with a sense of dread. The giant blade of ice was still growing, and had increased the speed of its spinning.

"Solarbeam, maximum power!" Erika ordered narrowing her eyes. Bloom tilted her upper body back to the point that her massive flower faced the sun. Ash felt his Pokemon stiffen further as a yellow glow began to emanate from the Meganium's flower.

"Mow it down!" Archer commanded with a wave of his arm. The blade whistled as it shot at its master's bindings. The Crash Cutter cleaved through layer after layer of massive vines with distressing speed. Bloom narrowed her eyes and sent her vines out behind her. Then the Meganium tilted herself back so she was standing on her vines and her hind legs. It was the most impressive feat of vine strength Ash had ever seen. "It'll use Solarbeam the moment you're free!" the green-haired Executive barked.

The blade stilled as a large hoof burst from the Frenzy Plant. Another stubby leg broke free, then the ice hacked at the vine below the limb. The light Bloom's flower gathered swiftly gathered at its mistress's maw, becoming even more radiant as it was concentrated. Ash watched with bated breath as the ice was sent soaring to the sky. There was a moment of stillness, then Tundra sprung from his prison with an infuriated squeal and a white orb in his maw. Bloom roared as she fired the energy of the sun at the Piloswine.

Tundra abandoned his Ancient Power mid air with a jerk of his giant head. The moment he landed, the Piloswine slammed his front hooves into the earth with such force that Ash was certain the ground would give. The earth beneath his hooves cracked, then it erupted, throwing the giant boar into the air. Bloom tried to swing her head toward the airborne swine, but the Solarbeam clipped the platform and detonated. The boys stared with wide eyes as the platform was consumed by smoke and Tundra was sent careening through the air.

Hellfire and Vulpix howled at the display of power, while Willow continued to stare at the Meganium with something near worship. The sun was the source of power for fire and grass-types. To utilize such a powerful Solarbeam with utter ease must have made the panting Meganium appear to be a goddess to the young Pokemon.

"I can't believe it," Gary whispered in a tone filled with reverence. The Piloswine's platform and many of the giant vines had been obliterated. The ground where the beam exploded had been blown into a crater. Tundra roared furiously, though the swine's sides were bleeding heavily and he had hit the ground with a thud, the swine was far from broken. The Piloswine's shaggy fur had been moved, allowing his furious, dark eyes to be better viewed.

"Maintain yourself! Freeze it!" Archer snarled, doubtlessly recognizing his partner's need for a firmer hand. Tundra shot a howling, freezing wind at Bloom with a roar fiercer than a blizzard's winds.

The Meganium rolled her neck in a full circle as she released a countless of her petals. The petals shot out several yards away from their mistress, then they began to whirl around Bloom as though she was the eye of a hurricane. The attack of snow, sleet, and wind hit the swirling shield with a crack. Tundra gave an annoyed rumble when the barrier of petals held. He abandoned shooting more of the Blizzard, in favor of sending what he had created to trap the Meganium on all sides. "Up the speed!" Erika ordered. The petal's speed increased to the point that they seemed to be linked.

"Do it," Archer commanded in a tone colder than any of his Piloswine's attacks. Tundra jerked his head up, sending the entirety of the Blizzard at the front of the Petal Dance. Then he slammed his hooves into the earth with a bellow.

"Up!" the Gym Leader cried, her face paling. Bloom reared back, drawing her petals with her, with a roar. The massive blade of ice pierced the shield of petals with ease, making Bloom's eyes widen in horror. The blade sliced through the thick hide of her underbelly with ease, drawing a shriek from the saurian. Bloom's vines shot out behind her to steady the stumbling Meganium. Tundra bellowed triumphantly as he blasted a white beam at the grass-type. Bloom shut her eyes, making a sense of dread grow in Ash's belly, then a gigantic vine erupted beneath her. The Ice Beam hit the vine's stem covering it with a layer of ice and making it wilt.

"Bomb!" Erika commanded as the Meganium's vine fell. Bloom leaped from the Frenzy Plant with a battle cry and spat several seeds at the swine.

"Beam," the Rocket countered in a tone that made it seem he was discussing the weather. His Piloswine was equally unmoved by the display as he a white beam that froze the seeds. Bloom shrieked, and created a barrier that blocked the Ice Beam. She landed next to her opponent with a wince, then she spat glowing seeds into Tundra's side. The swine hissed as he kicked the saurian away. She shrieked as she was thrown off her feet by the blow. A scarlet light engulfed Bloom before the Piloswine's tusks could gore her. Tundra snarled and stomped his hooves furious with his victim's escape.

Erika threw a Pokeball to the bottom of the steps with a scowl. When it hit the ground, a Tangrowth that stood about a foot taller than Vinya was released. Ash flinched as Willow buried her head in his neck. _Did Bloom losing really bother her that much?_ His eyes widened in alarm, when Vulpix ducked behind his legs and Hellfire hid his face behind his paw. Wedge had sunk to the point that he was hovering only inches off the ground. "W-what's wrong?" The trainer demanded, panic in his tone. The worry in him grew, when they refused to reply, and his Bulbasaur started shaking.

"He's exhausted, Ivy, let us help him get some rest," Erika suggested with a dark smile. The Tangrowth clapped her hands and hopped from foot to foot. Ivy didn't seem bothered by whatever was affecting the boys' Pokemon. Mr. Mime, though, was sweating profusely, while Vivi's eyes were darting around the center before settling on the sky. Ash followed her gaze and gasped at what he saw. The trainer blinked when he realized there wasn't anything there. _I don't get it, what could be bothering them?_

He shrugged, it didn't matter at the moment. The monstrous Piloswine with an incredible advantage over Ivy mattered. The boy shuddered as a chill worked its way down his spine. Hellfire and Vulpix whimpered as they lay against the ground. Ash swallowed as he watched the dog and vixen push against the ground, but they were unable to rise. A screeching from next to him made him wince. _Wedge too!_ "What's wrong?" Gary cried in a tone as panicked as Ash felt.

A strong, gust of cold wind crashed over the raven-haired boy making him shiver. Ash turned to the window with cold sweat developing on his brow. Hovering mere inches away from the center was a Pokemon the likes of which Ash had never seen. The Pokemon, a ghost or dark-type, was a dark purple, it had haunting red eyes and a gold marking on its forehead that resembled a third eye. It was a Gengar, or at least it was related to the family line, judging by the large spikes running down its back. But where most Gengar had stubby limbs, this ghost's three-fingered claws led to thick, biceps, and it appeared to have no legs. Instead, its lower body was covered in a reddish purple that seemed to flow back into a tail with three large spikes on it.

 _Could it be….. Darkrai?_ Ash heard harsh panting that he recognized in the back of his mind was his own. _No, it can't be the Reaper, it's only found in Sinnoh!_ "You- you're the Black Fog," the boy stammered, as he began to tremble. He sank to his knees and brought his unmoving Bulbasaur to his chest. _This can't be real!_ The trainer clenched his fists as shame burned in his heart. Ash forced himself to look the grinning beast in the eye.

"W-what do you want?" Gary asked, gasping. Like Ash he had been forced onto his knees. Perspiration covered the other boy's pale face and his eyes were half shut. He looked as pitiful as Ash felt. The Gengar (and that could only be what she was) tapped where her chin would have been thoughtfully.

"What I want, is a world for ghosts!" a woman's ringing voice stated as the Fog's eyes narrowed and her grin faded. Ash recoiled with wide eyes. Gary inhaled sharply and his Pokemon whimpered. The legendary ghost's eyes danced with mirth. "First time meeting one of us with the ability to project our "voice"?" The Fog inquired tilting her head to the side. "But certainly not the first time you've met a Transcendent, no, in fact, you both have met with him, of all Pokemon," the Fog continued eyeing them like they were a puzzle. "I wonder what he could want with you boys-" the Gengar twitched as a pink circle slammed into her back.

Vivi panted lightly as she glared at the great ghost. The Fog turned to level the defiant vixen with a disinterested look. Mr. Mime stood at her right with both hands extended. Standing next to Erika, was a saurian creature of the same size as Bloom, that had what looked to be bananas hanging from its neck, and several, giant leaves that looked to be wings. Ash recognized it to be a Pokemon from the Hoenn region, Tropius. A grass-type with equally powerful wind manipulation that were reputed to be gentle. Gentle was the last word Ash would have used to describe the species, if he were to go off this beast's baleful glare.

The Fog cackled, as though several beasts capable of leading a herd was no more a threat than an angry Caterpie. "Ivy, you're on your own! If I see you so much as glance away, I'll cut your sunbathing time in half!" Erika vowed her apprehensive gaze locked on the Fog. The Tangrowth gave an enthusiastic chirp in response. The trainer braced himself when light vibrations hit the center. Relief washed through him as he came to a realization. _Mr. Fuji and Janine are still up and fighting._

The Gengar glanced between the boys and Erika with amusement dancing in her eyes. Then she floated so she was standing in the direction Ivy and Tundra were fighting. The Fog beckoned the panting vixen and sweating Tropius with a claw. Tropius roared furiously as it took to the skies. Vivi and Mr. Mime blasted pink circles of psychic energy at the legendary ghost Pokemon. The Fog shot black lightning from its eyes, that tore through the Psywaves with ease. They yelped and hurried to create Light Screens. The barriers cracked and bent under the attack's force, but held.

Ash's eyes widened when Tropius fired a Dragon Pulse at the Fog's back. The Gengar soared around the attack with ease and laughed. Purple flames engulfed her fists as she surged at the saurian. Vivi blasted a flare of flames, while Mr. Mime shot an extremely thick barrier at the Gengar. The Fog gave them an annoyed look before blasting another, thicker Night Shade at their attacks. The moves crashed into one another, resulting an explosion of light left Ash and Gary blinking rapidly.

Tropius roared before flapping its now glowing leaves furiously. Vicious winds assaulted the Fog making her twitch. The Gengar flipped away from the Twister with a cackle. She cocked her flaming fist back then she launched the Will-O-Wisp enhanced Fire Punch. Tropius's eyes widened in alarm when it noticed she escaped his Twister. The saurian shrieked as the fist smashed into its cheek sending him careening through the sky. "Vivi do it! Imprison, full power!" Erika cried her tone nearly panicked. The Fog cackled at the dazed saurian as the detached hand continued its assault.

Mr. Mime narrowed its eyes, and directed its hands towards the Fog. Ten rods of light materialized next to its head, it flicked its wrists, and the Imprison launched itself. Vivi inhaled sharply, then she leveled a glare at the distracted Gengar. The ghost blinked as her arm was crushed against her side by the psychic grip's pressure. She flexed her arm slightly breaking the hold with ease. Then a portion of the Fog's chest exploded into gas making Ash flinch.

"What was that?" Gary asked, propping himself up against the windowsill.

"An incredibly strong Extrasensory!" the trainer whispered eyeing the newly evolved Ninetales with respect. _Her powers don't seem to have been limited by the ghostly energy here a bit._ Tropius landed on the center's red roof with a huff. The saurian glared at the now reformed Fog and rumbled deep in its throat. Tropius's brown hide was covered with patches that had been burnt to the point he could see muscle tissue. The leaves that were its wings were burned to half their original length. Ash's eyes widened when he realized the wings were already regenerating. _Why isn't she attacking?_ He clenched his fists. _Just like Ninetales, we're just a game to her._

The Fog regarded her opponents with her head tilted, and a curious gleam in her red eyes. "Don't bother with anymore psychic attacks, Vivi, and no defensive barriers!" Erika ordered as she released what Ash assumed to be her last Pokemon. It was an orange, an insectoid Pokemon with three pairs of legs. The front pair of legs were pincers bigger than King was tall. The Parasect gave its comrades with a gurgle before stiffening. It turned to the Fog with a fierce glare, the only sign of the great bug's anxiety was the slight shaking of its pincers. "Stay with me, Parri." The Parasect kept its eyes trained on the Gengar as it moved to stand in front of its trainer.

Ash winced as a wave of howling wind made itself known. It seemed Tundra still had quite a bit of fight in him. The boy gnashed his teeth when he heard his Pokemon whimper again. The Fog giggled and beckoned her opponents. The legendary ghost had become sick of waiting. Tropius fired a thick, green beam at the specter. She propelled herself above the technique, forcing the saurian to jerk its head after her.

Balls of purple flame formed on each of the ghost's claws. The Fog shot the several orbs of Will-O-Wisp at Tropius with a grin. A pink wall and a large stream of flame met the specter's move before it could near the grass-type. Tropius squawked as it fell onto its side, forcing it to abandon its attack when one of the now tiny balls hit its side. _She must have used Hex on it to increase the pain its attack would cause. Gengar can only produce enough fire for a Fire Punch, which means she's combing at least three attacks while moving!_

Black lightning far smaller than the previous blast, shot from her eyes at the groaning saurian. Vivi and Mr. Mime blasted a thick Reflect and a stream of purple flame, respectively at the Night Shade. Again, the attacks cancelled one another out, but this time the Fog was ready. Her grin widened to a near maniacal degree as her claws shot out, pinning the struggling vixen and mime against the center's walls by their necks. "Ball!" Erika shrieked. The Gengar shot a large wave of sludge while Parri gathered energy between its pincers.

A giant, green and brown form threw itself in front of the Sludge Wave. Tropius shrieked as parts of its hide were melted off by the Gengar's poison. The saurian was consumed by a scarlet light. Parri fired an enormous Energy Ball at the Fog. The ghost sent a small Night Shade into the orb making it explode prematurely, and obscuring her from his sight. A large, purple glob of poison was shot at the insect, drawing a pained shriek. The claws holding Vivi and Mr. Mime faded. Then the Fog exploded from the smoke in a blur. Her arms became black blurs as she slammed them into the disoriented Pokemon. Dust and stone flew as the center's wall gave, and their defenders were sent tumbling to the other side of the center. They hit the wall with a crunch before descending limply to the earth.

The legendary Gengar gave the unconscious Pokemon an unreadable look. Parri leaped through the hole in the wall with its claws glowing yellow. The Fog shrieked in alarm as the pincers slashed at her back. Countless vines slapped the ghost making her squeak and flail. Ash coughed, and held his motionless Bulbasaur to his chest as he crawled away from the battle. He forced his body over Hellfire and Vulpix with a gasp. It wasn't much, but it might be enough to save their lives. _Gary..._

The Fog grabbed one of Parri's claws with one hand, while the other produced a Will-O-Wisp to ward off Ivy. Even though it knew its vines didn't feel pain, the Tangrowth's instinctual fear of fire made it back away with a squeak. The Gengar held the Parasect away from her as though it was diseased. She glared at the defiant insect before throwing it at Ivy. The Tangrowth caught the flailing insect with ease with her arms. The Fog waved her right arm and a wave of pink energy sent Ivy flying. The Tangrowth shrieked as she was sent sailing through the wall. Ash's vision was overcome by dust and smoke as the center's front was blown away. Something heavy landed onto his back, and he felt a sting in his torso. A dull ache grew in his chest when he heard a woman give a pained scream.

With a wave of the Fog's arm, the smoke was cleared. Ash inhaled sharply when he saw his brother. The brown-haired boy's eyes were shut, his leg was pinned beneath a rock, and his clothing was covered in white dust. He found Erika lying prone, and still outside the center with red in her beautiful, raven hair. Were it not for the slight rise of their backs Ash would have believed them to be dead. The trainer furrowed his brow. His chest felt a bit wet, it hurt when he breathed, and his head was throbbing. _It doesn't matter._ Ash snarled as he pushed the stone off his back.

The boy flinched when he heard a crash from the back of the center. The Fog stiffened before staring at the center's roof with a frown. A black and white form wreathed in shadowy energy landed next to Erika. Another, mighty, and unseen force weighed upon him, but it brought no despair. Ash gave a weak smirk, even as his breathing became even more difficult. _He's already in Nasty Plot!_ Hellfang snorted and nudged Erika with his nose gently. _Ghostly energy won't bother a dark-type, but the force behind her attacks will be a problem. He's still pretty hurt too._ When the Gym Leader failed to respond, the Houndoom turned to stare in his direction.

Ash's breath froze in his lungs. No longer was the legendary dog cheerful and playful. His blazing, golden eyes seemed to pierce the boy's very essence. Hellfang's eyes narrowed and the air heated when he saw Vulpix and Hellfire. Finally, the armored dog turned to his foe with a glare. The Fog regarded him with an unnerving calm. After a moment, she pointed over Hellfang's shoulder.

He growled before turning and leaping. The dog Pokemon landed about several yards away from the center steps. Ash gaped, but the Fog seemed to have expected the incredible feat. She gave Archer and his Rhyperior a sharp look as she floated down the steps. The large Rhyperior rumbled, it seemed all too happy to move away from the titans. The Drill Pokemon surprised him by creating a barrier of stone. "It-it has to be to protect Archer," Ash mumbled furrowing his brow. The idea of a three-ton beast of stone needing a shield was absurd.

Right?

The ground beneath Hellfang cracked as he was wreathed in purple flame. Ash's eyes widened when he saw the dark wisps in the fire. _He's using Nasty Plot and a Will-O-Wisp and Flame Charge combo?_ The Gengar gave a bloodthirsty grin and beckoned the Houndoom. Hellfang blasted a wave of flame wide enough to envelop the center. The Gengar cackled before launching herself into the sky. The Fog narrowed her eyes, as a black orb surrounded in dark lightning built in her palm. Hellfang's eyes widened in alarm when he saw the orb, then he abandoned his flame.

The Fog blasted her Shadow Ball as the Houndoom spat an orb of fire. Ash flinched as the energies met, mixed, and detonated. Black smoke and dust obscured the dueling Pokemon from view. Hellfang erupted from the smoke with a bark, that sent a wave of energy, darker than a moonless night at the ghost. The Fog shrieked and extended her arms rapidly. Black wind whirled around the ghost with such speed that the boy failed to locate the Fog.

The Snarl crashed against the barrier of wind and washed over it harmlessly. Hellfang, barked undeterred and charged with purple fire in his jaws. The Fog waved her arms in a circle, then she thrust them toward the Houndoom. The Ominous Wind howled as it moved to form a great vortex in front of its mistress. The Gengar blasted her wave of wind with a shriek. Hellfang leaped over the Ominous Wind making the Fog's eyes widen in alarm.

The Fog shrieked as the dog Pokemon ripped her arm off. The specter spun away from the dog. Black Lightning shot from her eyes sending Hellfang sailing through the wall of a nearby home, and making him yelp. The Fog hissed as another Shadow Ball with more black lightning surrounding it grew in her palm. Ash gasped as the orb grew too large to be held in her palm. The Houndoom leaped through the hole he had sailed through, only to be greeted by the Fog's Shadow Ball.

The orb exploded with a sound like thunder, drawing a cry of pain from Hellfang, and making Ash wince. The trainer opened his eyes as quickly as he could. There was now a crater longer than the house and several feet deep where the home had been. Cold hands gripped his heart. _You've gotta be kidding_ me, _a two-story brick house in one go?_

The Fog had her eyes shut and a frown firmly etched on her face. Black energy began to swirl around the Gengar, then a new arm shot from her body. The house behind the crater exploded in a tornado of ghostly flame. The vortex of Will-O-Wisp grew further still, making the Fog's eyes widen in alarm, and create another shield of spinning, black wind. The fire coiled like an Arbok and struck with speed too swift for him to process as more than a blur. The shield howled as the flames crashed into it, making the fire wash over the shield as it was beaten in. Hellfang barked, urging the pressure behind his flames to intensify, and the Fog's shield gave.

The Fog gave a haunting scream as the vortex engulfed her. Ash's eyes were wide and his breathing quick, as the ghost's purple form was obscured by the screeching tornado. A great, black and purple form leaped into view. Hellfang howled, and it was that moment, that Ash could truly see the Houndoom as an agent of death itself. On their master's command, the flames molded into a giant, spinning, spherical prison.

A black beam carved through the flame, and drilled into Hellfang throwing the great dog through the air. He skidded a few yards before digging into the earth with a claw. Ominous Wind erupted from the prison with a howl. The Fog glared at the Houndoom with such acidity that her red eyes gleamed in the setting sun. Ash watched with a vindictive triumph welling in his chest when purple, poisonous gas fizzled from the Gengar's chest. The armor on the Houndoom's left side had been melted slightly, and blood dripped from his right ear. Hellfang panted lightly for a moment, then slammed his paw into the earth creating a crack similar to a spider's web. His breathing evened when he turned to the Fog and his form was still wreathed in an armor of flame.

The Houndoom was far from finished.

"That's enough!" Archer called raising his voice. The green-haired man was flanked by two tall men with pale, aristocratic features, and green hair. Ash's eyes narrowed. " _My brothers will make you pay!" Luke's brothers… Could it be they're Archer and Proton?_ He had no doubt the tallest man with a cruel smirk was Proton. Not many trainers in the world had a Rhyperior and a Crobat behind them. Ash bit his lip. _Janine and Mr. Fuji… If they lost, then they're…_ He shook his head, then hissed when his temples throbbed harder.

"Should we continue this struggle, Lavender Town will cease to exist," Archer explained when the legendary Pokemon turned sharp eyes on him. The ground beneath Hellfang cracked and he took a menacing step toward the Rockets. The Rocket Boss stood his ground even as cold sweat developed on his forehead. Luke and Proton panted heavily before they moved to lean on, their brother's larger Rhyperior for support. Proton's Rhyperior gave a threatening rumble that only made Hellfang glance at it. Its type advantage meant little to the Houndoom. Proton recalled the beast of stone before it picked a fight it couldn't possibly win.

"It is true, we violated this place of mourning - though unintentionally - that has stood for over twelve-thousand years, yet there is no need for it to be further damaged," Archer continued peering into Hellfang's golden eyes. Ash stared at him with his jaw clenched. _He's the reason this is all happening in the first place!_ "If you continue this duel, this town, the people, the Pokemon, and those buried here," Hellfang narrowed his eyes dangerously, "Will be destroyed… I, and mine, will not return to this town, if you will allow us to leave in peace," the Rocket Boss swore placing his hand over his heart. The Fog gave the human an annoyed look before moving to float by the Rhyperior.

Hellfang glared at the man for a moment, seeming to peer into his very soul. Then the Houndoom barked and sat on his haunches. "A decision Champion Karen would have approved of," Archer said bowing his head slightly. Hellfang snarled, and spat a stream of fire that reduced a nearby house, its impressive yard, and the house behind it to ashes. The Boss swallowed before nodding and climbing onto his Pokemon. The Drill Pokemon gave the dog a hesitant nod, then it turned and raced down the street as fast as it could. Ash sighed and slumped.

"Ash!" a girlish voice cried with worry. Janine slid to a stop next to him a moment later. There was a small cut above her right eyebrow, and her hair had been torn from its usual ponytail. Relief flooded him making him sigh. The kunoichi would be fine. Well, she wouldn't be if her face kept getting paler.

"Say something!" Mr. Fuji demanded as he and Talc strode into view. Nurse Joy and her Jigglypuff were a step behind him. Ash blinked blearily when his vision began to blur. _A nap would be good._ "Stay awake," the veteran urged patting his cheek lightly. The boy opened his right eye slightly. _How rude._ Ash exhaled heavily, and embraced the sweet relief of unconsciousness.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Reviews

Thank you to my guest.

About Pokemon abilities in a story setting.

Does anybody know how to make sense of Flash Fire? From what I can tell from Anime!Charizard vs Blaziken the heat wasn't the problem so much as the force the fire was hitting them with. How can Pokemon with Flash Fire be immune to the force behind a Flame Burst? It doesn't make sense.

Ditto for Motor Drive.

Same with Static, really. Every strong electric Pokemon should be able to affect others with their electricity on contact. Paralysis on contact should be a thing for all of them.

Point is, there will be special circumstances that allow Pokemon to get boosts from their elements, but I'm gonna try and make them semi logical. (Or to have their powers limited by other elements.)

A.N. For what was once chapter 16.

If you didn't know who the Reaper was, then go sit in a corner… Unless you've not played the Sinnoh games, then all is forgiven..

I had a lovely conversation with a reviewer, who pretty much schooled with his game knowledge tbh, about Houndoom vs Magmortar and the Houndoom family in general. He made several very valid points about their game uses, but I can't use it in story. Because, in a game setting your opponent can't Teleport… or dodge. And eternally painful flames don't help if you can't burn something. I can, however, make sense of Nasty plot, so there's that.

If there are any techniques you think are cool, and would like to share them with me, I will try to make a logical use for them in the story.

Teleport and flight are seriously broken. Thank god for rock-types being all but immune to heat or Charizard and Magmortar would be game breakers. As it is, they're just a huge problem for their opponent. To be fair, all the starters are all truly monstrous.


	16. Chapter 16

I do not own Pokemon. Or any other things I reference in this story. Please support the official release.

Episode 16

The Daily Routine

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Ash flopped gracelessly onto his bed with a groan. Gore fell onto his mat like a puppet whose strings had been cut. The boy snickered when Hellfire slumped against the Piloswine. Gore made his displeasure known with a weak whine. He pushed at the Houndour with a hoof for a couple seconds before slumping again with an exhausted huff. King raised his claw in a salute, then hopped into his pot. Ash blinked as he felt a light tugging on his pillow. He squawked as the pillow was ripped from under him.

The boy glared at his Vulpix as she settled the pillow at the foot of the bed. Willow the little traitor settled onto the pillow with a relieved coo. Vulpix poked at the large pillow a few times before curling up on her new bed. Ash shoved his irritation away with a huff. He grabbed the other, far smaller, pillow and relaxed into the massive bed.

This was a luxury for any financially challenged trainer, that said, he doubted even the Mayor of Lavender had a nicer room than he did at the moment. Gary and Janine insisted they didn't deserve such treatment, but Ms. Laura had been unmoved. Ash was inclined to agree with her. They'd nearly died times several over the course of a few hours. A big room was the least they could do.

Though, he would be lying if he said he wasn't slightly guilty. An entire block had been declared inhospitable after Mr. Fuji's and Proton's teams fought for the first time. The dueling Houndoom were particularly destructive. It was a disturbing thing, seeing two-story houses with blackened walls and large holes in them. Someone had built a life in those walls, he had thought, had likely raised their children there, and now they were little more than rubble.

Ash was a selfish person, but even he had been moved by the sight. The idea of the diner or the lab being in such a state made his chest ache. Only the knowledge that he couldn't possibly stand up to the one responsible stopped him from hunting the Executive down. Proton could be drunk, have only one half-dead Pokemon, and still beat him down like a toddler. He scowled, then sighed heavily as his eyes drifted shut.

The boy opened his eyes to the familiar sight of the Pallet Corral. Ash smiled a warm feeling filling his chest. _I'm home! How did I get here?_ He shook his head. He could figure that out later. Ash pushed himself off the soft grass. "Hey! I'm home!" the trainer shouted with a grin.

Ash's grin slowly faded when he didn't receive a reply. The street was completely deserted. The houses across from the lab didn't even have their lights on. "Everybody!" His call was again met with silence. His eyes widened when he saw the red splotches on Mr. James's white door. Ash swallowed and turned to the Corral. He found a giant Nidoking lying face down in wet, reddish grass several yards away from where he woke. A sensation like a cold claw ripping at his heart hit him. "Pins," Ash whispered.

The trainer winced when a sound like thunder assaulted his ears. His throat felt drier than the desert. _That's coming from the hatchery!_ Ash's heart pounded in his ears as he raced down the dirt road. There was another boom that sounded near the first. The boy slid to a stop behind a tall oak tree. _Pins?_ The boy shook his head vigorously. _I have to focus!_ He reached to his belt only to grasp air. His Pokeballs were gone. Ash's breath quickened as horror settled in his belly.

There was a deafening roar of pain, then glass shattered, and the ground seemed to shake as though something gigantic crashed into the hatchery. Ash pressed himself against and inhaled sharply. He held his breath as he crept around the old oak. "N-no," the boy whispered, his eyes wide and disbelieving.

The red scales of the upper part of Wave's belly looked to have been melted. The great serpent's chest heaved twice, then he hacked a great glob of blood. Ash steadied himself against the oak as bile rose in his throat. "Hello, little human," a chilling, feminine voice purred from behind him. He gasped as an immense pressure forced him to his knees and a terrible chill fell upon him. Pink energy surrounded his body as he was lifted from the ground. Ash paled when he was turned around.

"Did you truly think you could survive me?" the Fog inquired her crimson eyes dancing with mirth. "Nothing to say?" she asked with a wide grin that sent chills down his spine. A dark orb formed in her palm. The Fog beckoned him with a claw. A numb sensation he knew to be resignation washed over him. The orb doubled in size, then shot out and drilled into his chest.

His vision failed him as agony overwhelmed his mind. Ash's mouth fell open, but no scream came. The orb inched forward until his sternum began to crack. His last defense gave and his world ceased to be. Ash's eyes snapped open with a gasp. The boy sat up so quickly his head spun.

The trainer's heart sang when he saw his team sprawled around him. He was in the Lavender Pokemon Center. He was safe. Ash gave a relieved smile and flopped onto his pillow. "Did you sleep well, little human?" the Fog cooed making his eyes snap open. Ash swung wildly at the ghost only for her to stop his arm with a claw. The terrible pressure of her power forced him to lie back down.

"I do believe it's time for me to finish what I started," she whispered. She broke his wrist with a casual twist of her claw. Ash stared at his arm with wide, disbelieving eyes. He tried to scream, but again, nothing came from his throat. The Fog cackled and cocked her left claw back. Ash shut his eyes. He wouldn't give her the pleasure of seeing his fear. She swiped, yet no pain came. After a moment, he opened his bleary eyes. The Gengar frowned, and swiped again. The specter's claw passed through his chest, but he felt nothing. Something tiny and warm curled i that reminded of the first cup of hot chocolate he'd had in his mother's lap, her fingers running through his hair, curled into his side.

A stream of Purple flames appeared and struck at the Fog like a cracking whip, making the Gengar recoiled with a shriek. The terrible pressure eased allowing Ash to gulp in air. The whip slapped the Fog again, and the pressure receded further. The ghost eyed the whip warily before drifting upward. The Fog glared at his defender as she floated through the ceiling. Ash eyed the dark ceiling for a beat before sighing.

"Th-thank you," the trainer murmured. The flames moved toward him slowly, as though it was hesitant, before curling into his right side. The comforting heat there grew until the Fog's power seemed a distant memory. Ash smiled, and wrapped an arm around the flame. It didn't burn him, in fact, he felt a sense of comfort wash over him. His eyes drooped, then shut for the final time that night.

xxxxxx

"Not too hot right?" Ash asked with a smile. King gargled before sinking to the bottom of his pot. Within moments, the lukewarm water began to spin. King's crown had grown significantly seemingly overnight. It wouldn't be too much longer now. They had to use all the time they had left, if he wanted to counter Whirlpool against Misty, for he had no doubt her team would know it, and truly master Water Pulse. Hellfire bolted past him with a determined bark and a rabbit trapped in his jaws. The trainer blinked when a tiny, orange form raced after the black dog. Gore growled deep in his throat at their retreating forms and moved to rise.

"Easy," the trainer warned patting the boar's side, "You know Ms. Laura would skin us alive if you hurt your ribs." The Piloswine narrowed his eyes and grunted. Ash rolled his eyes. "Most training isn't 'bout running a marathon so much as learning your element… your kind aren't built for running so that's fine. Willow's body is mainly connected with her bulb receiving enough vitamin D and Sunlight," Ash explained with a hiss as he reclined against the boar. Apparently, the sting he had felt was a rather large piece of glass entering his chest. It didn't help his cause, that the rock that had fallen on him had broken a rib or two.

"King's getting closer to evolving, so his stamina isn't a huge deal, but for those two," he continued, pointing at the vixen and the dog, "Running and playing is extremely important for their bodies." Gore gave a snort, still glaring at the Houndour and Vulpix, before bringing his hoof down lightly. "Just to keep to your training, and I'll make sure to get you more meat with dinner," Ash promised with a smirk.

The light vibrations that accompanied him, lowering his hoof again made a King's water ripple further. It wasn't much, but with enough practice it would be a Bulldoze. Tunnels popped his head out of the ground with a squeak. "You knew he would've felt them too, and what we're doing, " Ash said rolling his eyes. The Diglett narrowed his eyes dangerously before descending into the earth. _That could come back to haunt me a bit._

He glanced at Gore when the boar lowered his hoof again. The boar shocked him with his new technique, but it shouldn't have. Gore had been conscious, if barely, while what was quite possibly the strongest Marowak in the world, Talc and Proton's Rhyperior threw powerful earth attacks at one another. _I never dreamed his hooves could "learn" Bulldoze… Or that an ice Piloswine could learn a move as strong as Earth Power._ Mr. Fuji had explained that a Pokemon's affinity didn't necessarily mean their second element would be weaker, just that they wouldn't have nearly as much control over the secondary element.

Ash shut his eyes tightly. He had assumed that he knew all there was to know about Gore, and it nearly cost them. If he had studied the Swinub line more he would have known exposure to such vibrations would help Gore's training. Ash bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. His arrogance could have cost them a chance in the Indigo Conference. _Team Rocket._

The thought of the organization was enough to make his chest burn with a desire for vengeance. Gary, Janine, Hellfang, everyone really wanted to make them pay for what they did to Lavender. But Ash found the majority of his anger wasn't about them attacking an ancient city dedicated to honoring the dead. He hated losing, and there was no doubt in his mind that the Rockets had won, had always hated it. He twitched a bit when he remembered the dream he'd had.

What Ash wanted, more than justice, was to assuage his own wounded pride. Looking back on it, he had come to Lavender in the first place for that very reason. Janine and Gary risked life and limb to save Lavender. He wanted to help Lavender too, but that wasn't his main motivation. What the young trainer truly wanted was to settle the score with Jessie and James. Ash wasn't foolish enough to count his first encounter with the Rockets a true victory. They and their subordinates, would have killed him and his team if Hero hadn't come.

He defeated their Pokemon, and helped to defeat the Nidoking they hadn't even raised. Ash felt no pity when he learned their Pokemon were among those to have fallen victim to Talc's club. None of them had died of course, but their teams would likely take a month before they fully recovered from the beating. _I wonder what that says about me?_ They were likely killers, and had probably tortured that Donphan, but they were still people. The way James held his injured Weepinbell and screamed for his Carnivine flashed through his mind. They loved their Pokemon. The helplessness one felt when sitting by your Pokemon's side when they were injured was indescribable. Ash swallowed and leaned further into Gore's side. Something soft poked his forehead gently.

He blinked at Willow. The Bulbasaur shuffled and poked his forehead again. Ash smiled and shook the offered appendage making her eyes light up. The trainer pushed himself off his partner with a groan. The ripples of Gore's next Bulldoze nearly made him sway. Ash glared at the swine. Gore gave him an innocent look. "We're going to work on a new technique today," he said with his lips twitching. The boar wasn't bright, and his eating habits cost more than the rest of the team combined, but he always knew how to comfort his partner. Ash smiled when Willow's eyes widened to a near comical degree at the declaration.

"Razor Leaf is a move that uses sharp, glowing leaves to slash at their master's opponents," Ash explained, his eyes forward as he hobbled. The Bulbasaur turned to him with a snort and narrowed eyes. The trainer twitched. Even the youngest of their group knew those weren't his words. "Nobody respects my mind," he said with a heavy sigh. Willow quavered and butted his leg gently. "Oh, I suppose I can forgive you," Ash muttered with a sigh and a sly smirk.

A vine cuffed him lightly, making him wince. Ash sighed. "I guess you're just too grown up to fall for that." Willow preened and trotted ahead of him with her head held high. She missed the mischievous grin, her trainer gave her. _Guess I'll just have to get more creative!_ He suppressed his grin when she turned to peer up at him. "Producing one is easy! Ya know the difference between your Leech Seeds and your two Powders right?" She snorted. "Razor Leaf is a solid like Leech Seed, but the order of the commands you have to give is the opposite."

"Basically, it comes in three steps," Ash said as he came to a stop. He settled himself against one of the boulders used for target practice with a hiss. "Picture a few leaves, then use your grass energy to make them sharp, then you shoot them from your bulb, and hopefully you maim something." She stared at him with wide eyes. "Any-"

"That wouldn't be very smart!" Erika called making him stiffen. The trainer pushed himself to his feet quickly. Too quickly, his head throbbed and his knees nearly buckled. Something large and soft slid itself between him and the ground. Hellfire crooned when Ash pushed off him.

"Thanks buddy," the trainer whispered patting the dog's side lightly. Vulpix had seated herself next to Willow and glared at the new arrivals. He hummed when he saw the vixen had blood muzzle. "What're you talking about?" Ash inquired, turning to face the Gym Leader. The dark-haired beauty did not come alone. She had her Tropius and mighty Meganium flanking her. Bloom warbled at Willow, who trilled back. Gore growled at Tropius making the saurian stiffen. Ash raised a brow. _Why would it be scared of Gore?_

"He's from Hoenn," the Gym Leader explained patting Tropius gently. Ash nodded his understanding. Hoenn was the warmest of the major regions on the continent. Grass-types were all vulnerable to quick changes in temperature, but those from Hoenn were weak to them in the extreme. _At least they handle fire better._ He noticed that there were still large patches of his hide that hadn't recovered from the Fog's Sludge Wave. Bloom was in far better condition. The only evidence of her battle was the angry red line running down her middle.

"So what did you mean?" the raven-haired boy asked again.

"Your Bulbasaur is a cow, so no amount of training will make her as good with petals and leaves as Bloom. She would definitely be better with seed attacks and mastering her Chlorophyll, and eventually Solar Beam, than leaf and petal attacks. I'm sure she's very talented," Erika explained, giving the little dinosaur an adoring smile. She cooed when the Bulbasaur moved to hide behind his leg.

"Mastering her Chlorophyll," Ash repeated narrowing his eyes. He glanced at Willow and received a baffled look.

"Up til now, you've only been using Chlorophyll for a speed boost right?" the guardian of Celadon inquired.

"Yes," Ash hissed as she leaned against her partner.

"Chlorophyll is like Bloom's Overgrow, it can be activated and deactivated with training," she continued after a moment. Ash's eyes widened. Overgrow was an ability that boosted a Pokemon's grass-type power by fifty percent when they were in danger. It was of little wonder the Meganium could use the strongest grass-type move, Frenzy Plant, so effortlessly. Bloom held her head high when she noticed his astonishment. "Pokemon with Chlorophyll do tend to have less raw power than their counterparts, at first, so working on controlling her speed and giving her a little power would be for the best."

"I see," Ash muttered, staring at his Pokemon. _Not that I think about it, Saur has Overgrow and he uses petal moves instead of seed moves. I need to figure out how to link her with her Leech Seed._

"But!" the Gym Leader, exclaimed making him flinch. "In time, I expect she'll capable of using Frenzy Plant as well as my Bloom," Erika told him with a note of pride. Bloom crooned and nuzzled her trainer's dark hair.

"Frenzy Plant... like I thought it's a whole 'nother level than even a true Petal Dance," Ash muttered furrowing his brow.

"Er- Ash can I ask a favor of you?" Erika blurted smoothing out her dress.

"Su~re," the boy replied, crossing his arms over his chest. _What could she have to be nervous about?_

"It's about Rina," the young woman began fidgeting a bit. "I-I have to go back to my territory immediately so…." Ash blinked at her. "Could you make sure she's okay?" Erika blurted.

"Yeah, sure," the boy answered with a shrug.

"Thank you!" she exclaimed with a relieved smile. "She won't wake up for a long time, and I want to stay with her, I do! But I really do have to get back," Erika babbled the composed young woman from his challenge seemingly evaporating. "Rina wouldn't forgive me if I didn't put my duty first," she muttered in a slightly bitter tone. The boy wondered if she was saying that to him or herself. "I am truly in your debt," Erika told him with a smile.

"Don't worry about it," he said with a shrug. Oddly, she beamed at him as a vine pushed her onto Tropius's back _. Somehow I completely missed that saddle…._ The saurian began to flap his wings when Bloom was recalled. "Wait! Er- thanks for the advice," Ash blurted averting his gaze.

"Let's call it even then!" Erika shouted as Tropius began took to the sky. _Guess I'm the last person she needed to talk to._

"So…. Seed Bomb is a move that uses a seed that explodes with grass energy to attack," the trainer began with a cough. Vulpix gave him a dry look before darting off with Quick Attack. Hellfire yelped and bolted after the vixen. "They really like rabbit," Ash observed with a blink. Gore grunted and moved to trot after them. "No! Back to your Bulldoze!" The swine whined and kicked a rock hard enough to send it flying into a tree. "No extra meat with dinner, then," the trainer remarked with a shrug. "Wi-gyack-" Ash hacked as Gore licked at his face with enthusiasm.

The boy grabbed his partner by his ears. "If- you, gah, don't stop I'll send you to pork heaven!" he swore as they struggled. Gore squealed as a Water Gun cuffed his ear. King waved his claws at them with a chirp. Ash gave the boar a smug grin. His grin faded when powdery wind hit his hat. He ignored his partner's smug look. "Gore go use Bulldoze near King's pot!" The Piloswine glared at him suspiciously. "Just trust me!" Ash snapped.

"And don't attack him King!" The Krabby narrowed his eyes at him. "Do you really think I have nothing better to do than mess with you?" Ash demanded, glaring at Gore and King. The deadpan looks he received made him sigh. _That does kinda sound like something I would do._ The crab gave him a pointed look before sinking to the bottom of his pot. Gore snorted and shuffled. "Look, the ripples from Bulldoze will make it harder to control the water. Which means you can practice together!"

"Now, have you figured out how to create one?" Ash asked when his partner sauntered off. _Maybe I mess with them too much…_ The Bulbasaur cooed as she stared up at him. "Good, then aim it at that!" he ordered, pointing at the largest boulder. Willow shot a small seed at the boulder that only bounced off it. The two blinked. A beat, then the seed's bottom burst, throwing it through the air. "Great job," Ash offered with a shrug.

Willow snorted before narrowing her eyes and shooting another seed. Again, the seed bounced off the boulder, but this time it exploded before hitting the ground. Ash bit his lip. _We're missing something, but what could it be?_ "You pictured the seed before shooting, that's how you made it, right?" The saurian crooned staring at the first attempt with confusion. _Leech Seed doesn't use much for molding, just ordering the vines in the seed, and adding Mega Drain is just about channeling the command to her seed. Energy Ball is just shooting gathered energy, what am I missing?_

A tiny, orange form darted into his line of sight with a mangled rabbit. Hellfire followed a moment later with a bark. The black dog shot a stream of flame that startled the vixen into stopping. Then the flames moved to form a circle around her. Hellfire howled his triumph. Vulpix gave the dog Pokemon a haughty look before bolting through the fire. The Houndour blinked. "She's a fire-type too buddy!" Ash pointed out with a grin. Hellfire whined, then turned to race after his teammate.

Willow gave the remnants of the Houndour's Fire spin a look of envy. Ash's grin faded with a sigh. _What does Hellfire have that she doesn't? He could be more talented, but he's definitely not smarter - sorry Hellfire - and I doubt Hellfang would have had him hunting much at his age._ Light vibrations reaching him made the trainer frown. "Gore! You have to shoot them one way!" Ash barked his tone harsher than he meant it to be.

The Piloswine sent a wave of stronger vibrations at him making him sway. King popped out of his pot with a chirp. Gore flinched and whined as he returned to his task. The crab sank to the bottom of his pot with another glare. _At least I can count on Water Pulse and maybe Whirlpool._ Ash narrowed his eyes.

"Hey, try and picture the seed exploding!" the trainer exclaimed with a grin. "Willow?" he called, glancing around the training ground. Ash pinched the bridge of his nose when he saw her sunbathing on the boulder. "What're you- get down here!" the boy demanded. The Bulbasaur stared at him as though he were the Reaper coming for her soul. In an effort to hide, she flattened herself against the boulder as far as she could. "I'll give Gore your berries!" The Piloswine's gleeful squeal was nearly loud enough to make him flinch.

Willow leaped from the boulder with a squeak. "Now why don't you picture your seed exploding?" he suggested with a honeyed smile. The Bulbasaur squeaked again and shot a seed at the boulder. Ash grinned when it exploded on impact. _Like I thought, she's never needed to learn to picture her technique!_ His grin became wicked. _Next time I'm threatening the berries first!_ Ash laughed darkly making the saurian whimper.

xxxxxxx

"Ash are we going to make this part of our routine?" Oak asked, rubbing his temples. The boy grinned sheepishly. "Pewter, Celadon, and now Lavender… do you not want to live to see your twentieth birthday?" the gray-haired professor demanded.

"I'm beginning to think he doesn't," Daisy put in leaning over their grandfather's shoulder. Ash rolled his eyes and rubbed Vulpix behind her ears. The vixen glared at him before returning to attacking her Soothe Bell. The bell was made of material that could withstand a Charizard blasting it for several minutes. _Somehow, I doubt it would work a second with Hellfang though._

"Perhaps, he's not the only one," Oak said quietly as he turned to glare at Tracey. The professor's assistant flinched and moved his gaze from Daisy to the far wall. _I really miss Pins being house-size._ Ash glanced at Gore. _He and King are too big, or at least will be, but the others should be fine._

"I've been much more careful lately!" Daisy protested with a wince. _She completely missed the point._ Tracey sighed, relieved before fleeing the room.

"More cautious where I can see it," his grandfather countered with a smirk. Ash snickered when his sister pouted, then moved to at his partner's furry head.

"I remember Mom chewing you out so loudly the whole town could hear it!" the trainer said with a laugh. Unfortunately, for Pins he had received his "discipline" from Plains.

"That was an accident and you know it!" his sister snarled. "If you and Gary had backed me up, maybe I would have saved you from Acaya!" Daisy sniffed before turning and striding from the room. Ash recoiled, flashes of the pizza incident flying through his mind. The boy paled while Gore whined once he realized their topic. The Arcanine's affections were more terrifying than the time a Tentacool tried to make the duo its lunch.

"Moving on from that," Oak drawled raising his new eyebrow. "I'm glad to see you're all right, but if you don't mind, I'd like to speak to your brother?" he requested glancing around the devastated center behind Ash.

"Oh, right, well, I would love to, but Gary is off helping at the Pokemon Tower," the trainer said with a shrug and an easy smile.

"Is he now?" Oak said, narrowing his eyes. Ash twitched and averted his eyes.

"Welp, I told Vulpix I'd would take her to the Pokemon Tower!" the trainer cried standing so quickly he threw the vixen off his lap. "Love you bye!" Ash blurted picking up the squeaking vixen and moving to turn the phone off.

"Ash… Are you sure there's not something you should tell me?" the professor inquired his gray eyes piercing. Ash sighed heavily.

"Well, the Fog is with Team Rocket," he remarked with a shrug.

"The Fog is collaborating with the Rockets!" Oak cried his eyes wide and his face paling.

"Yeah," Ash said, moving to turn off the phone again. "Oh, and, she took all the ghosts and the Channelers with her too," he added in an absent tone making the old man choke. Though the ghosts had left the nearly ominous, ghostly energy was still overwhelming. It was so powerful that Gary wouldn't be able to stay in Lavender for much longer if he wanted his Abra to live. Ash grimaced when he remembered the shaking Abra in her trainer's arms.

"And you didn't think the League should know this!" Oak demanded with a dazed look in his eyes.

"Well, Erika was here so she knows, later Gramps!"

"Wait what-" Ash shut off the phone. He would probably get another talk about his generation lacking respect for this, but he had spent three days in a bed. Ash was beginning to feel he would burst if he didn't do something.

"Hey Ash, can I speak to Grandpa now?" Gary asked as he and Eevee strode into view.

"Nope!" the raven-haired boy smirked. "I hung up!"

"Why would you do that?" his brother inquired with wide eyes. "You know that this is the only time I can talk to him today!"

"You shouldna took my sandwich," Ash said with a smug smile.

xxxxxxxxxx

A.N. Thank you all for helping me reach seventy-three followers, ten-thousand views, and over forty reviews! Been looking forward to showing more of the routine after the Lavender Arc ended. Calling it the the Fog/Rocket arc might be more accurate.

Had to change my separators. They don't show up on the AO3.

I do not own Pokemon. Or any other things I reference in this story. Please support the official release.


	17. Chapter 17

I own nothing here, please support the official release.

Episode 17

Of Towers and Crowns

Xxxxxxxxxx

The Pokemon Tower was quite a bit taller than he had expected. "Be on your best behavior, or you'll be back in your ball before Gore can finish a meal!" Ash lectured, giving the vixen a sharp look. Vulpix hissed and returned to struggling with her bell. "I mean it! You whined when I wouldn't let you in earlier, one misstep, one dainty little paw out of line and we're out," the trainer growled narrowing his eyes. The vixen gave him a glare so fierce her golden eyes lit up. She crooned quietly when she realized he wouldn't back down. Ash knelt and lifted her onto his shoulder.

The Channelers may have been gone, but the volunteers had returned to the tower as soon as they could. By the grace of the gods, the Pokemon Tower hadn't been touched by the Rockets. Mr. Fuji told him that many had been injured when Talc and Proton's Rhyperior fought, but there weren't any deaths. In fact, with the exception of the Channelers joining the Rockets the townspeople hadn't suffered any major losses. Ash suspected Proton's goal had been to free the Rockets the veteran trainer had captured. His brow twitched when an image of Wave and Pins lying face down in their own blood returned to him.

Ash had slept without dreams since that night, but the images continued to haunt him. Especially when he was around areas thick with ghostly energy. The old woman behind the front desk, that rather reminded him of Mrs. Jones, who would often sneak him candy, stared at him with slightly wide eyes. "Just really eager to get up there!" Ash offered with a weak grin. Vulpix peered at him as though he was the most ridiculous being she had ever laid eyes upon. _She might not be wrong about that._

"I see, just be sure to be respectful around the headstones," the woman said with a hesitant nod. The woman gave Vulpix an unreadable look before turning back to her work. Ash blinked. _Why don't we need a leash?_ A red-haired man gave him a smile as Ash strode past him. The expression was swiftly replaced with a frown when he saw Vulpix. The boy shrugged and made his way to the next floor.

Several floors later, they encountered a young woman who paled and scurried away when she saw the vixen. Vulpix shifted in his arms to stare after the mousy woman. Ash glanced at the floors other occupants. Only the volunteers were eyeing his Pokemon as though she was a murderous beast. _She certainly thinks she is._ The boy swallowed hard and moved to the next flight in a near jog. _Vulpix can't have done anything and I haven't seen a Rocket with a Vulpix, so what's bothering everyone?_

Ash gave a relieved sigh when he saw the final flight. He tried to ignore the volunteer's eyes burning into the back of his head as he climbed. Vulpix was more reserved than Ash had ever seen her. The fire-type regarded every headstone with a solemn air and lowered ears. At first, her reaction surprised him, but he decided it shouldn't have. The Vulpix and Cubone lines were known to guard cemeteries, and the vixen even cremated their dead. There were stories of Ninetales in ancient times went so far as to stand guard over their trainer's graves until they died. No one could be sure of how long Ninetales lived, but he had never heard of one dying of old age.

The trainer glanced at the vixen in his arms. _I'll have to make sure she knows to move on after I bite it._ Ash exhaled as he stepped onto the seventh floor of the Pokemon Tower. The seventh floor was special, though he forgot to ask Ms. Laura how. The headstones of this floor were far larger than the small stones below. About twice as large, and they seemed to have been positioned around even larger stones. The boy took a hesitant step forward.

"Michael Johnson, Tom Smith," he muttered to himself as he past two of the larger headstones. The names were familiar, but he couldn't place them. Another familiar name, Donna Carrell, brought another surge of irritation through him. Ash scowled. _I know them! But I just can't-_ The boy flinched when a tiny paw slapped his cheek. He blinked and looked down. He was nearly crushing the unusually warm Vulpix to his chest. "Sorry." She sniffed and wiggled out of his hold.

The vixen raced toward the back of the floor, making him squawk. "Hey- stop that! If you hit one of those graves we'll be in trouble!" he cried as he strode after his Pokemon. Ash scowled when a long, orange, and red ear twitched, but he received no response from its owner. "I know you hear me, you running rug!" Vulpix yipped and skidded to a stop in front the last row of graves.

"Seriously, what's got into you!" Ash demanded, crossing his arms over his chest. _She was actually behaving for a minute there too!_ Vulpix pointed ahead at the headstone before her with a paw. Ash gave her an annoyed look that was promptly ignored. On the stone was a carving of a Ninetales. Even in stone, the trainer could tell the vixen's eyes looked alight with playful mischief. To its left was another far larger Ninetales. This vixen's slanted eyes held wisdom and seemingly endless patience.

Behind the Ninetales' graves, were two headstones with names he easily recognized. Agatha and Karen Adams. He felt his irritation fade. _No wonder she was so taken with them._ The power of a Pokemon didn't always fade with their deaths. A Pokemon's power persevering after their death was known as imprinting. _For a Ninetales, who are so close to both ghosts and psychics, and no less…_ They would be nearly irresistible to a two-tailed Vulpix.

At their core, Pokemon were so more than flesh and bone. They were capable of feats of strength the likes of which even with modern technology, humans could never compete with. In ancient times Pokemon were considered to be embodiments of nature, and were worshiped. Some Pokemon were even strong enough to imprint on living beings. The Great One and the Sky God, or Lord of the Sky, were believed to have been the pinnacle of nature's power. Maps had to be redrawn when they did battle. According to the stories anyway. Ash stiffened. _Could it be that the energy here is an imprint from the Fog? And what the hell did the Fog mean by "what he could want with you"?_

 _Who's he? The Fog and Hellfang... Their power is like something out of a fairy tale._ Dark-types often ambushed their prey with an attack meant to end the struggle swiftly. Similarly, ghosts tended to disorient their victims, before crushing them with all of their might. _If the clash had been between Hellfang and a Kingdra, or a Steelix and a Dragonite, or gods have mercy a Gyarados like that, Lavender probably wouldn't survive._ Ash shuddered, feeling as though the Fog's terrible chill had overwhelmed him.

There was a legend of Johto his mother had often told him that sprang to mind. According to the legend, a titanic Tentacruel was born in the Dragon's Den of Blackthorn. What angered the Titan of the Deep to the point he had gone on a rampage was unclear. Many believed the jellyfish to have been born with a sadistic, and violent nature. Others argued his rage had been born as a result of the Blackthorn clan's laziness. No one could deny that the battle that resulted was worthy of legend.

It was said the Tentacruel alone defeated four Gyarados and the Gym leader's prized Kingdra. His superiority now undeniable the Pokemon of the Dragon Den rallied around their new monarch and destroyed Blackthorn city. But even that could not sate the vengeful Pokemon. They destroyed every town they passed until they neared Mahogany town. Champion Lyra and her team confronted the horde before they could reach the town.

According to his mother, four members of Lyra's team held their own against the entire horde while Aoife and the Titan dueled. The Titan of the Abyss was the paragon of his species, possibly the mightiest creature to have ever ruled the seas. Champion Lyra and Aoife were stronger still. The horde's will to fight faltered with their monarch's defeat. For ten days in intense rain, they dragged the dying titan to the sea, never to be seen again. The result of the clash was the Lake of Rage. Ash was beginning to think a good deal of the story was true. The other legend of the lake being created was of a Gyarados rampaging, which made little sense. Gyarados rampaged often and were found in nearly every region, yet the lake of Rage was the only one rumored to have been created by one of the serpents.

 _How many other legends are true? Did Champion Dreyfus's Charizard really kill a forty foot Dragonite? Did Angela of Sinnoh really stalemate the Reaper?_ There were even tales of the greatest Unova Champion sealing away the Tao dragons. _Are there other Pokemon like The Fog and Hellfang in this era? Could there be something even stronger?_ The idea sent a chill down his spine. Surely such a thing couldn't be possible?

A light nip on his ankle made him flinch. Vulpix glared at him. "Yeah, you're right," Ash muttered falling to his knees before the Champions' graves. He muttered a brief prayer, then drew a small candle from his pocket. "Aim at the little black part for me?" Vulpix blew a tiny orb of purple flame onto the candle lighting it. "Thanks."

The vixen yipped quietly, then her body stiffened with her ears raised and her tails extended. "Eh, Vulpix?" Ash called, eyeing the fire Pokemon with a raised brow. She hacked sparks making him jump and nearly fall onto Agatha's headstone. "Sorry!" the trainer cried backpedaling so quickly he nearly tripped on another grave. _Damn it all! We're gonna be cursed!_ "What the hell is your problem?" Ash demanded after steadying himself.

The vixen whimpered and spat a stream of ghostly fire. He held his hands above his head. "I was just joking earlier! You're not a rug, you're the best Pokemon a trainer could ask for!" She hissed and the flames moved to her two tails. Vulpix panted heavily as the Will-O-Wisp engulfed her tails. The heat intensified, to the point he felt he was being cooked, then the fire began to shrink. Steadily the vixen's breathing evened and the fire disappeared.

Vulpix blinked while Ash gaped. She tilted her head to the left as she swung her new tail experimentally. The now three-tailed vixen yipped happily, wagging her tails in a manner that she would be humiliated to learn of later. Ash gave a dark grin. _This is excellent blackmail material!_ The fact that she was hopping in place was the icing on the cake.

"Ah, Tiny there's truly nothing better than seeing the next generation come into their own!" a deep, smooth voice declared in a jovial tone. A firm, disagreeing squeak made the man give a booming laugh.

"Master Bruno?" Ash cried nearly stepping on Vulpix in his haste to turn. She yelped and leaped over Karen's Ninetales's headstone. "What are you doing here?" he asked breathlessly. The boy groaned when the Master raised the flowers in his hands. _Gods, did I really ask that?_ Vulpix growled at Tiny from behind the headstone, making the Primeape snort.

There were two popping sounds similar to a nut cracking as Bruno released his team. An incredibly muscular, gray-skinned Pokemon four arms as thick as the Nidoking's appeared on one side. The beast stood as tall as its trainer and had a golden belt around its waist. Ash's mouth went dry. This Machamp was at least a foot and a half taller than the average for its species, and far broader than average as well.

The second Pokemon was mostly brown with long, cream colored legs that vaguely resembled springs. It was a fair amount taller than Ash, which for a Hitmonlee was impressive. Compared to the giant Machamp it was a bit disappointing. _Are they all he's letting out?_ He had hoped to see the master's Heracross and Poliwrath.

"Did you hear me?" Bruno's voice called.

"Er-Yes?"

"I said thank you," the master said with a knowing smile. "If you all hadn't stepped up all of the town's Pokemon, their jewels, and money would belong to Team Rocket." Ash was certain his face was capable of cooking with the heat it gave off. He nearly gaped when Tiny, the Hitmonlee, and Machamp passed him. He did when the Primeape clapped him on the shoulder and the Machamp smiled down at him.

"And I especially want to thank you for saving Hellfang," Bruno said, clapping his shoulder with a massive calloused hand. Ash flinched. He didn't even hear the giant master's approach. "I don't think I could bare burying him so soon after her," he muttered, his eyes shining even in the poor light. The master strode to his daughter's grave and knelt. Ash's eyes widened in horror when the giant's shoulders slumped. Tiny wrapped her arms around Karen's headstone with a yowl. Hitmonlee and Machamp were remarkably composed, but their shaking fists and the tenseness of their legs made their distress evident. "It was nice to see you again, young man, and I do regret not being able to thank you properly... but please give us a few moments," Bruno requested his head lowered as though he were in penance.

"Yes, sir," Ash responded with a slow nod. "I was just thinking to get lunch anyway." Vulpix eyed the giants before her warily, then darted between the Machamp's incredibly thick legs. She leaped to his chest and yipped urgently as she glanced at the titans behind her with worry. Ash nodded and strode from the massive room.

xxxxxxxxx

Ash winced as Bulbasaur rammed a boulder headfirst. Mastering Chlorophyll was a touch more difficult than he had anticipated. Turning it off was easy. Controlling the energy and storing it was on another level entirely. "Keep going girl! You're doing great!" he encouraged with a wide grin. The saurian shook her head lightly before giving a warble. "She's not getting anywhere," the trainer whispered to King. The crustacean gave a gargle of agreement, then began inching toward his pot. "Don't even think about it!" he snapped. King glared at him, then turned his back to him. _Two days a week won't kill him. Gods, he's almost as bad as Gore._

Mr. Fuji told him that a Pokemon needed rest as much as they needed training and battle. Without proper rest their growth would slow dramatically. It was a pitfall many ambitious trainers young and old fell in. Mostly young trainers his grandfather had added from the video phone with a grin. Something Gary and Ritchie the only trainers his age sponsored by the old man, apparently already knew. _He just couldn't help but add that part._

Vulpix was having a far easier time with her training. Though the vixen's power still wasn't nearly enough to compete with Hellfire's Ember, something which frustrated her to no end. She could use her Ominous Wind three times a day before needing rest, and could create barriers the size of her head. Sabrina told him that a Vulpix earning her third tail was a rite of passage. It meant she was now capable of going on hunts with the pack after adult Pokemon. Her fifth tail meant she could lead hunts with weak or young game. Every tail she earned brought new abilities, greater power, and improved on the existing skills she possessed.

Hellfire yelped drawing his attention. The Houndour's eyes watered as he pawed at the angry red mark on his nose. Vulpix rolled away from his angry swipe and aimed a Scratch at his face. The dog jerked away from the swipe and battled the vixen, sending her through the air. "No aiming for the eyes!" Ash cried when Hellfire raced after the tumbling vixen. He sighed when he saw the vengeful gleam in the Houndour's eyes.

The vixen sprung to her feet and blasted a ball of fire at one of his front legs tripping him. The Houndour yelped as he skidded across the ground. "Don't give up! Remember your Flame Burst!" Hellfire barked and pushed himself up. A gust of black smashed into the dog, stunning him and nearly knocking him over.

Vulpix yipped and leaped at the Houndour with both claws glowing. Dual Scratch was one of the many perks of her third tail. If they worked at it, Dual Quick Scratch could be a thing before she earned her fourth tail. Hellfire yelped and flailed as the vixen clung to his face. "No eye scratching!"

Finally, Hellfire managed to buck the vixen into the air. He snarled before blasting a ball of fire at the airborne Vulpix. Ash grimaced when the flame burst exploded, sending the vixen soaring even higher. His eyes widened in alarm as he realized she was going to fall onto a boulder. Green streams wrapped around Vulpix's middle halting her descent.

Willow lowered the dazed vixen to the ground gently. Hellfire narrowed his eyes at her and took a step forward. "Battle over! Winner Hellfire!" Ash announced, waving an arm toward the dog Pokemon. Hellfire panted enthusiastically and began to run in circles with Gore. Vulpix whined and stumbled making Willow steady her again. "You put up a good fight," the trainer said with a smirk. He continued when the Vixen maintained her glare. "He's ten times your size and you're both fire-types, you did good lasting that long," Ash rolled his eyes when she continued to pout.

"Alright, break and water you three! Gore c'mere. King you can get in the water, but if I see it swirl you won't get any fish for the next two towns we visit!" Ash barked before striding to the middle of the training field. The Piloswine sauntered after him with a snort. "Now that you can make vibrations stronger than when you fall over-" the swine squealed and stomped his front hooves petulantly. "We have to try and direct those incredibly strong vibrations better," Ash finished with a sly smirk.

Gore glared at him, then brought his hoof down. The boy yelped as the vibrations threw him to the ground. He groaned and pushed himself to his knees. Ash scowled when he heard amused yips. _Traitorous rug._ "Score is even... truce," he said, offering a hand. Gore narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously before butting the hand.

"Good try and aim over at that rock," Ash ordered pointing straight ahead. The rock wasn't particularly large, but moving it would be a decent test. The boar shook his head, then stomped his front hooves. The rock shook and popped a few inches off the ground. Ash squawked as he swayed before digging in his heels. "Still can't fully control them, eh?" Gore huffed and dug into the earth with his tusks. "Look pouting isn't helping! We need to direct the Bulldoze to use it right!" Ash snapped, giving the boar a sharp look.

The Piloswine stared at him, then bellowed. "If it's controlled, then the full power of the tech can be used on our victim- opponent only and we don't have to worry about hitting anyone we don't want to," the trainer explained with a sigh. At times, he found having such an instinctual partner taxing. _If only Bulbasaur had been born a few years earlier._ He winced. Gore was his partner and had risked his life countless times over the past four months for his sake.

A burst of snow hit his face, making him squawk. "Brat!" he snarled wiping off his face. Gore stared back at him, utterly unrepentant. Ash sighed. "You remember the feeling you got when Talc and Rhyperior were going at it?" The swine grunted. "Focus on that feeling, then aim and let it go!" Gore squealed enthusiastically and raised his hoof. "In the other direction!" Ash cried his eyes wide. His Piloswine blinked before turning and stomping his hoof. This time, the rock was thrown a few feet into the air.

"Great!" Ash congratulated with a grin. "We'll keep practicing it until it's perfect!" _After all, we have the time._ It was the time of year the Pokemon of Rock Tunnel were most active. Winter was coming, meaning the young ground-types would be incredibly vulnerable. The young ground-types would become sluggish in the cold, which meant they were easy prey for the swift Nido line. Learning that the tales of entire generations of calves being killed by Nidos and Arbok was not hyperbole had been frightening. Ash had been so frightened he had taken to carrying his tiny Swinub with him everywhere. He even hid Gore under his hat when they slept.

The adults were even more territorial this time of year, and the Nidos were ravenous. Ash didn't want to try and catch a Rhyhorn only to run into a grumpy grandma. The trainer wanted to go south, to Vermillion or Fuchsia, but he stood no chance. Daisy told him, Master Surge hated holding back and pushed the Indigo Conference's rules as far as he could. Ash imagined the day Kanto finalized the steps for its own Silver Conference would be the happiest of the man's life. Janine's aunt Aya, was just as unforgiving and was far subtler than her rival. Ash wasn't particularly eager to see Gore become an Arbok's ham dinner.

No, they would stay at Lavender and train for six more weeks. If King evolved soon they would stand a fighting chance against Misty and Brock. _And maybe, in a few months, with a ton of luck and sweat, and maybe a few Pokemon having their legs broken before the fight we can beat those two too._

Xxxxxxx

"Three on three is good for you?" his opponent, a trainer two years or so older than Ash named Julia, asked. She was a Rookie trainer as well. Like most, she had opted to raise her Pokemon for a couple years before setting out on her journey. The brunette wore glasses and a green tracksuit. In Ash's opinion, she looked more like a jogger than a traveling trainer.

"Of course!" the trainer replied, releasing his Pokemon as his opponent did the same. Ash's eyes narrowed. _Lady Luck really must hate me._ Vulpix gave their foe a condescending look and puffed herself up. Their foe was a bipedal, blue frog Pokemon with white hands and a whirl-like design on its belly. It was a few inches taller than King, and was nearly as broad as it was tall. It was a water-type known as Poliwhirl.

"It's a Poliwhirl. It'll be quicker than you, without Quick Attack, and can use a weak Hypnosis attack with its swirl," Ash whispered when Julia knelt next to Poliwhirl. Vulpix gave him a sharp look. "It'll have better Water Guns than, King, but Water Pulse could go either way," he added as the girl rose. Vulpix turned to Poliwhirl with a calculating gleam in her golden eyes. "Ladies first."

"Water Gun!" Julia ordered immediately. Poliwhirl croaked and inhaled deeply before shooting a stream of water at the vixen. Vulpix leaped away the moment the attack fired. She was consumed by a white glow as she raced between the rocks of the training ground. Poliwhirl fired Water Gun after Water Gun, only for the rocks of the field to take the hits for the vixen. Ash grinned and his opponent cursed. "Cut her off with Bubble!" The frog gave an irritated gurgle, then aimed his spray of bubbles several yards in front of Vulpix.

"Jump off the rocks!" Ash commanded earning a yip. The vixen leaped onto a rock to her right, then hopped off the stone and into the open field again. _Using the rocks as a shield was a brilliant move, girl. It won't be working anymore though._ Orbs of purple fire formed on each of Vulpix's tails before shooting at the water-type.

Poliwhirl fired a wide spray of bubbles that smothered the flames with ease. Vulpix yelped as the bubbles swept her off her feet. "Water Pulse!" Julia ordered with a grin. A tiny, swirling orb developed over the frog's palm, making Ash's eyes widen in horror.

"Ominous Wind!" he commanded in a near panicked tone when his Pokemon stumbled. She barked launching black wind at Poliwhirl. The frog launched the small orb at the wind only for the wind to burst through it. Poliwhirl gargled as he was thrown onto his back. Vulpix forced herself to stand panting lightly. _She must've used too much energy on that._ "Quick Scratch!" She barked and bolted at the dog with a white hue surrounding her.

"Water Gun!" the girl cried. Poliwhirl pushed itself onto its knees, and shot a concentrated stream at the vixen, that she sidestepped with ease. The frog Pokemon fired again, only for Vulpix to leap over the Water gun and onto it. Poliwhirl croaked and shielded itself with its arms as the vixen swiped at it. The red streaks that had formed on its blue body released a steady drip that resembled red tears. The frog gargled and hit Vulpix off with a glowing palm, making her yelp and sending her tumbling.

Poliwhirl croaked and charged the fire Pokemon with both hands glowing. _Doubleslap?_ "Stop use Bubble!" Julia cried when Vulpix rolled to her feet. The furious frog ignored her and swiped at the vixen. She darted away from the blow only to have a tail grabbed. Poliwhirl's black eyes lit up as it slapped her with its free hand.

Vulpix yelped and flailed before spewing a flare of flame into the frog's belly. Poliwhirl shrieked and flailed releasing the vixen and stumbling back. Vulpix hit the ground with an indignant squawk. The fire-type glared at the rising frog, then she blasted a gust black wind that sent it tumbling. She inhaled deeply, then spewed a stream of purple flame at the frog. Poliwhirl was consumed by a scarlet light before the flame could engulf it.

"Nice work!" Ash said with a smirk. Vulpix gave Julia a malicious look that made the boy worry she was going to attack. Then the vindictive gleam left her golden eyes and she puffed herself up. Ash glanced to his right when he didn't hear any thrilled squeals. _Oh, that's right._ Having his partner in his ball when he battled left him feeling exposed. It was necessary, though he hated to admit it, the team could get a bit too enthusiastic during battle. Most people were uncomfortable when a sixteen-hundred-pound boar began squealing. "Rest well," he murmured after the vixen had been returned.

"Are you ready?" Julia demanded as she primed another Pokeball.

"Of course!" Ash replied as he released Hellfire. The Houndour whimpered when he saw his opponent. It was a spherical Pokemon that was white on the top half of its body and red on the bottom. The Pokemon was a few inches shorter than Gore, but still would have towered over the rest of his Pokemon. Its face was split into a wide grin when it heard Hellfire's cry. _It looks like a Pokeball! So this must be an Electrode._ It had to have been an Electrode or a Voltorb. The creator of modern Pokeballs had modeled them after his beloved Electrode. _This'll be the real test for our training._ "It's really fast, so open up with S-"

"Spark!" Julia ordered, pointing at the Houndour. Electrode gave a cry similar to a generator coming to life as it was consumed by electricity. It rocked back, then it was rolling at Hellfire at such speed that it made Ash flinch. The dog leaped away from the attack with a startled bark, only for the Electrode to circle back around and smash into his side. Hellfire yelped as Electrode drilled him into a boulder.

"Flame Burst and close your eyes!" Ash snapped. Hellfire flailed before his command sank in, then he spat a flare into the earth. The burst exploded, throwing dust and sparks of flame. Electrode shrieked as a spark hit it and backpedaled rapidly. The Houndour dropped to the ground with a whimper. "Snarl!" Hellfire glared at the electric-type and barked aggressively. The action created a wide yet very thin wave of black energy that slammed into Electrode, sending it rolling back into a tree. His Pokemon required no instruction. The dog blasted a full power Flame Burst at the stunned beast.

"Charge Beam!" Julia countered her face growing pale. The burst crashed into the electric Pokemon and exploded drawing a pained shriek from Electrode. Hellfire swayed and panted heavily as he glared at the smoke covering his opponent.

"Get it!" Ash ordered. The Houndour gave a weak whine before shooting another Flame Burst. A yellow beam carved through the fire making Hellfire roll away with a yelp. The trainer gaped. _Was that its Charge Beam?_

"Swift!" Electrode boomed and fired several golden stars at the dog. Hellfire leaped behind the boulder he had been pinned against. Ash sighed in relief. No matter how more experienced Electrode was it couldn't hurt him there. "Aim for behind it!" Julia commanded with a smirk. Electrode gave a triumphant whir as it shot another Charge Beam.

Ash recoiled when his Pokemon gave an agonized howl. Then the howl ended. The trainer gave a relieved sigh as his Pokemon was returned to his ball. The last time he'd heard a scream like that, Gore had been hit by Saur's Petal Dance. Ash's eyes narrowed. _The water from Poliwhirl eh? She used Poliwhirl to set up for Electrode, giving her a round for sure if we fell for into her trap. Guess that's just another way to use the field._ He tugged the bill of his hat and released King.

Julia raised a brow at his selection. King waved his dominant claw, now nearly twice the size of his left claw, at the girl and her Pokemon while Ash shrugged. Gore had been hurt when they had challenged an older trainer and her experienced Sandslash. He suppressed a grimace. That was a rather large miscalculation on his part. Since Willow was taking a nap in their room, King was the only option. _Probably should have lead with him._ "Don't use Bubble or Water Gun unless it's a sure knockout with this one," Ash said when the girl turned to them. "Oh, and don't hold it too long. Won't go well." The dry look the crab gave him was nearly chastising.

Electrode began releasing sparks as it rolled at King. The Krabby's eyes widened in alarm before shooting a burst of snow at the electric-type. Electrode flinched and swayed, too stunned by the abrupt temperature change to continue its charge. "Rapid Gun!" King chirped and fired three quick Water Guns. Their opponent responded by shooting five golden stars through the streams. King narrowed his eyes as he was consumed by the white sheen of Harden.

The Krabby gave a grunt when the stars of Swift crashed into him. Ash grinned. Electric-type moves were incredibly dangerous for water-types, because most of them simply didn't need to evolve to deal with them. The fact that electric-types were generally incredibly quick and specialized in long range attacks added to their immense advantage. The Voltorb line was among the most physical of the electric-types. They had a chance. Julia realized it too, judging by her frown. "Sonic Boom, then One!" The electric-type spat a white blade of energy that King swiped away with a hiss.

Electrode whirred and charged the crab Pokemon with its Spark. "Powder Snow in front!" Ash barked tugging on his hat. King fired a shot of powdery snow several yards in front of him.

"Stop!" Julia cried her eyes wide in horror. Electrode's electricity faded nearly immediately, but it was too late. It skidded and swerved on the patch of snow until it barreled into a rock. King cocked his arms back, a triumphant gleam shining in his black eyes, as the largest swirling orb he had ever created formed over his claw. "Roll away!" she cried, but the stunned Electrode could only groan. King's Water Pulse smashed into its back drawing a shriek of agony, and crushing it against the stone.

"Rapid Gun!" Ash commanded with a smirk. Electrode shrieked and whined as its hide was torn off by the pressurized streams of water. A scarlet light surrounding it signified the end of the round. Ash glanced at his Pokemon. King was standing so stiffly he would have thought he was using Harden. The faraway look in his eyes alarmed the boy. He took a step forward.

Then water gushed from his dominant claw, making Ash gape. The water wrapped around the large crab in a form similar to an egg. Ash took a step back as cold water seeped into his shoes. King raised his right claw, and the water on the ground moved to it like a winding snake. King brought his claw down with a crack so fierce Ash nearly flinched. The orb fell, revealing the new beast. The trainer could only stare.

Ash's Pokemon now stood over four feet tall and his shell was three feet wide. The Kingler's nubs now stood two inches off his red shell in a crown fit for a young monarch. King's dominant claw was at least two feet across while his left claw looked to have been a bit under a foot wide. The Kingler rumbled and raised his claw in a salute. Ash grinned and raised his right fist over his head. King's eyes crinkled and he gurgled happily. "Up for the final go?" the raven-haired boy asked giving the girl a grin.

The Growlithe beside her whined and crouched behind her legs. "I-I'm good," Julia said, eyeing the young Kingler warily. "Here's your winnings," she added as she offered him a fifty-dollar bill.

"Thanks-" he blinked when the girl and her Growlithe all but fled from the field. "Welp, okay, then," Ash muttered tugging on his hat. King gave an amused gurgle.

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Yeah, Vulpix's tails are kind of Rpg-like.

A.N.

Fight scenes are surprisingly hard. How do you know when to end the fight? How do you make each fight end in a unique way? How long is too long? What's a good ratio with character stuff? For some people, a chapter of no action between several action ones just isn't enough a break. It's a delicate dance.

Well, I've rambled enough. Thank you for reading!


	18. Chapter 18

I own nothing, please support the official release.

Episode 18

A Wise Horn

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The sun had only just risen in the sky. The orange streaks of light and the fluffy white clouds painted a picture that reminded him of the artwork his mother and Gary adored. A dull ache developed in his chest. Ash was adjusting to life on the road, but after having his brother so close for nearly a week, he found himself thinking of home. His dreams were filled with Acaya and Arca blazing through the fields with yipping Growlithe and Houndour at their heels. Plains and Pins patrolling the borders of their territory with Dora hopping after them. His grandfather riding Wave as the old Gyarados and Fearia brought fish for the young Pokemon. Then Fearia and Granyte would fight over the biggest tuna. After being on the same team for over fifty years, you'd think they wouldn't fight over a fish.

A light cough brought Ash back to the present. "So... thanks for everything," the trainer offered clearing his throat. Ash went over the supplies he'd bought yesterday again in his head. _Potions, bandages, antidotes, and food. A ton of food. I think Gore's appetite evolved with him._

"You're welcome for everything," Mr. Fuji told him with a chuckle. Gore huffed and bumped his tusk against Talc's bone. The old Marowak grunted and returned the gesture. Ash shuffled, then turned and strode out of the town's gates. Gore gave an annoyed grunt and strode after him. The boar nudged his side hard enough to make him stumble when he caught up. The young trainer glared at him. "Be sure to drop by when you can!" the veteran called.

"I will!" Ash shouted over his shoulder. After walking for half an hour he gave the Piloswine a sly look. "Your loyal trainer walks without telling you and you attack him," the boy muttered, shaking his head and tugging on the bill of his hat. The swine squealed and stomped his hooves. "And now you're throwing a tantrum! I really should have gotten that Rhyhorn Gramps offered," Ash lamented with a sigh.

Gore narrowed his eyes at him and pawed at the ground. "Or better yet, a loyal Nido!" the trainer added a smirk developing. The Piloswine stared at him, too horrified to give any other reaction. "I mean, they're a much better species than the Swinub line! They eat less, they're smarter, oh and they're less racist," Ash said with a cackle. Gore stared at him blankly, as though truly seeing his partner for the first time. The trainer stopped walking when he realized his Pokemon hadn't moved. Ash's brow furrowed when he saw Gore was still staring in his direction.

The Piloswine's brown eyes were glazed over and unblinking. "Gore?" he ventured taking a step toward the boar. Ash continued when his partner still didn't respond. "It was just a joke, well, the Nido part was, they're re~ally prejudiced and the barbs are a nightmare, Daisy told me Pins poisoned her more times than their opponents." Gore blinked, then his nostrils flared and he displayed his tusks. Ash took a step back. "Uh, G-Gore, you know I'd never actually make a ham outta you right?"

The Piloswine snarled and charged with the white glow of Take Down. The trainer squawked and dove away from the enraged boar. All this for a bad joke? Ash flinched as the crash of his partner ramming reached him. He leaped to his feet and spun. Gore roared and shook his head wildly in an attempt to free himself. _Is it a blood rage?_ Ground and dragon Pokemon were known to run wild without reason occasionally. But Gore had never lost his temper without reason. No matter how slight the reason he always had one.

Ash clutched air as he reached for King's Pokeball. _Okay, Willow!_ Again, his belt was empty. He swallowed. Gore wrenched himself free with a bellow. The swine flipped toward him and spat a gust of snowy wind at him. Ash flinched and brought his arms up to shield his face. He shuddered as the cold passed over his head coating his hat with a thin layer of frost. The trainer uncovered himself slowly.

Gore wasn't glaring at him, he realized, the swine was glaring at something behind him. The swine pawed at the ground and snorted frost. A cackle made the hairs on the back of his stand up. Ash flipped around, and paled at the sight before him. The Fog grinned and waved her three-fingered claw at him. The trainer backpedaled so quickly he stumbled. Gore bellowed and pushed Ash behind him.

Pressure crashed onto him making him gasp and buckle. He managed to catch himself before he was pushed onto his knees though. Why is it weaker? Doesn't matter. Ash glared at the Gengar. They didn't stand a chance if they ran, and they couldn't beat it. _But we have to at least draw blood!_ If she had blood. "Icy Wind!" Gore grunted and shot a burst of powdery wind at the legend.

The Fog's grin widened, then she shot a black beam, that tore through the wind and into Gore. Horror gripped as he saw the large red patch developing on Gore's back. The swine seemed dazed for a moment, before his legs gave out. The Gengar cackled and Ash's breath left his lungs. "Gore!" he screamed, rushing to the boar's side. He fell to his knees and pulled out his Super Potion.

Ash choked on a sob when he saw the wound. A hole the size of the boy's head had been melted through Gore's front to his back. The trainer's vision, blurred then he buried his face into his partner's thick brown fur. His partner, whom he had raised since his hatching was gone. Gore would never steal his food when he wasn't looking. He wouldn't ride on Wave's back again or chase after Pins, or beg his mother and Daisy for scraps. Ash's shoulders shook with the force of his anguished sobs.

The Fog floated in front of the trainer, her eyes dancing with mirth. She extended her right arm and formed a Shadow Ball. Ash shuddered as the now familiar dread crashed into him. He raised his head to glare into the legendary Gengar's eyes. Impossibly, it seemed her grin widened further. Something small and warm burrowed into Ash's side.

An instant later, the purple flames appeared over his head, and soared into the ghost's face. The Fog shrieked and swiped the fire away. She floated several yards away from the flames with a frown. A ball of shadowy energy developed in her palm. The purple fire formed into a ball and shot at the Fog. The Shadow Ball and his defender's attack met, and Ash's world was consumed by a white light.

His eyes snapped as he shot up. Ash panted heavily, vaguely aware of the heat moving and a scurrying sound at his right, and put his face in his hands. A familiar snort made his heart clench. The trainer sucked in a breath and turned to his left. Gore stared back at him and tilted his head to the side.

The pig squeaked in surprise when Ash wrapped his arms around the Piloswine's thick neck tightly. Gore gave a confused grunt before snorting and nuzzling his cheek. The swine moved to hug him with his stubby legs, but only managed to tap Ash's sides. A familiar appendage poked the back of his head lightly. The boy released his partner with a heavy exhale. Though he had just woken, Ash's limbs felt oddly heavy and his head was swimming. Willow shuffled and poked his forehead.

He gave Willow a bright smile and shook the limb gently. The action seemed to reassure the saurian as she curled back up on her pillow. _Wait a minute! When the hell did that become her pillow?_ Ash sighed. _I wonder who's training who here?_ The trainer pushed himself out of the tent. The orange streaks of the rising sun's light made him swallow. It was just a dream. _But that's what happened when we said goodbye to Mr. Fuji._

The only difference between the dream and reality was the Fog taking the place of an angry Pidgeotto as Gore's opponent. _Pretty damn big difference, though._ "Hey, where are the other two?" Ash asked, glancing around the camp. Willow was lying on her pillow, King was lying between a cacti cluster around forty yards away, and Gore was struggling to get out of his tent. _Wait, how did he get in there? Question for later._ Hellfire and Vulpix weren't anywhere to be found. Usually Hellfire would be curled up on the fire, while Vulpix would lie as close to the flames as she could while avoiding the Houndour. King found their enmity amusing and would often position himself to better watch their antics.

Ash knelt and narrowed his eyes. It was a bit difficult to tell in the poor light, but there looked to be tiny paw prints coming from his tent. The prints led past King and out of the camp. As he followed them, he saw another pair of prints that dwarfed the dainty Vulpix's. _Hellfire._ The trainer crept around King slowly. Ash knew the crab's hearing was sharp to make up for his poor vision. He didn't think death by his own Pokemon's claw would make his grandfather proud.

He repressed a relieved sigh when he crawled past King without him budging. His eyes widened when saw a small path in the cluster that had familiar paw prints. Ash twitched when he heard a rustle, the instinctual fear of a predatory Pokemon making his neck hair stand. The Ekans line would be resting with full bellies in their dens at this time, and the Nido line wouldn't want anything to do with Gore or King. The Sandshrew line was far less predictable in their patterns, and were far more capable than most gave them credit.

Ash knew better than most. He'd seen Granyte defeat Mr. Robert's prized Onix then turn around and thrash Tracey's Azumarill after all. He would not be killed and eaten by a giant mouse. At least, he wouldn't be eaten before beating the idiot within an inch of his life. Even then Ash would prefer to at least be killed by a Tyranitar or a Gyarados.

The boy wasn't picky.

He winced when he heard a hiss and a pained squeal. It seemed Gore hadn't been able to get by King without waking him. Ash flinched, receiving several spines for his trouble, as he heard his partner squeal and trundle through the path. Ash sighed in relief when he reached the end of the cluster. Standing at his full height hadn't felt so good since Ash had tried following Granyte in a tunnel.

The trainer's eye twitched as more of Gore's pained squeals assaulted his ears. The boar burst from the cacti with a triumphant cry. The trainer was fairly certain the Piloswine had more spines on him than the cacti. "When did I get a Sandslash?" The furious huff, he received made him smile. He yanked the cactus spines out of his shoulder with a grimace. _Probably could have been gentler about that._ Ash sighed and knelt next to his partner. "You're gonna have to stay still, and you'll probably have to tough it out a bit here." Gore grunted and raised his chin.

After several removed needles and pained squeaks later, he rose. "Smell anything?" Gore glared at him before slamming his nose to the ground. The swine recoiled with a squeak and shook his head vigorously. Ash winced as he saw the small spines lodged in Gore's bloody nose. Vines stretched out and yanked the spines out of the boar's nose. Gore shrieked until a spray of green powder engulfed him.

 _Sleep Powder?_ "So you were curious," Ash remarked as Willow strode out of the cluster. _Yanking the spines out was a bit much._ He wouldn't be correcting her on that at this hour though. King shoved his way out of the cacti a moment later with an annoyed hiss. Several spines rolled off the crustacean's red armor when he shook himself slightly. Gore gave a weak whine, as if to remind the team he was there. King shot a gentle spray of bubbles that washed away the Sleep Powder and blood. Then the crab shot a small burst of snow into Gore's face.

The Piloswine blinked before shaking the frost off. Gore lowered his nose to the earth and rubbed it gently. _Really good he's a pig, or that might get him infected._ Ash's eyes narrowed, his Pokemon's tracks looked to have been wiped away. _Vulpix?_ Something cold settled in his chest. Ash had come to care for the manipulative and sadistic little creature. _if she were gonna make a break for it, she would have a long time ago. It kind of looks like something smoothed the ground over. Like a tail? A really big tail. Almost looks like something didn't want to be tracked._ "Oh, crap," he muttered.

Willow and King turned to him with an alarmed and an inquisitive look. Gore was still whimpering and rubbing his injured snout against the dirt. "Do, you, er, see any prints around? Or smell anything?" Ash asked, taking a deep breath. _Pins laying in a pool of his own life. They're just hunting._ A pit of unease settle in his belly.

The Kingler narrowed his eyes before turning to scour the area. Willow cooed and joined him. The young cow didn't hear the undercurrent of panic in his tone. There were only two reasons he could think of, that could explain the complete disappearance of tracks. Hellfire and Vulpix both being picked up by a bird Pokemon was unlikely at best. _They're just hunting._ Ash tugged on the bill of his hat.

A powerful earth manipulator could hide their tracks and scent easily. Only other desert dwellers, earth molders, and the greatest trackers could find them if they didn't wish to be found. Their skill could be so great that they didn't even leave tracks when they moved. Rhyperior and Nidoqueen were known to hide their herds, they had no reason to hide themselves, subconsciously. _Come to think of it That colossal Onix we met outside Mt. Moon had to have been thrice as heavy as three average Onix combined. But it hadn't left a mark on the trail as it winded its merry way with that weirdo fairy. And it didn't make any sound either._ Ash shook his head. He could worry about that later. _Hopefully, never._ Meeting the Fog had somewhat tempered his desire to fight such beasts.

 _There's something strong here._ If they were fortunate it would just be a young mother or an ambitious Nidorino. If the team wasn't lucky, it could be a grandmother capable of leading a herd and fending off furious bull Donphan. They would need everything to survive her. Willow's quaver and King's frustrated chirp didn't assuage his nerves. _They can't smell whatever it is._ "Gore!" Ash barked, making the Bulbasaur and Piloswine jump. "Find them! Now!"

The swine Pokemon blinked. Then he huffed and lowered his snout to the earth. Gore sniffed and snorted at the earth before striding ahead with a bellow. Ash raced after him with the team following a moment later. The trainer paled when he heard Hellfire bark. _The idiot doesn't know what he's messing with!_ Gore turned right and barreled through another cactus, making Ash wince.

A roar deeper than the Rocket Nidoking's drew a growl from the swine. Willow's vines grabbed the boy by his shoulder, then he felt a light tugging. Ash gave the Bulbasaur an annoyed look after she landed on his shoulder. Gore slammed his hooves into the earth forcing Ash to a stop as well. A rock larger than he was crashed into the earth, making the team jump in alarm.

Ash hacked and waved the dislodged dust away. The rock, that must have been quite a bit larger than the trainer, was lodged so deeply into the earth that it came up to his chin. _It hardened the earth and shot it without enough force to get a foot in the ground._ Willow leaped from his shoulder and raced to a thick cluster of cacti to their right. Ash cursed when she disappeared into a small path that had been burned the cluster. Gore bolted after her with a squeal and charged through the cluster. Ash swallowed heavily as he stared at the impressive spines. King glanced at before motioning for Ash to follow with a claw.

The trainer smiled, relieved and raced after the surging crab Pokemon. King's dominant claw took on a metallic sheen as he swiped at the cacti, cutting a path through the cluster with ease. Ash leaped over a now tiny cactus and rolled beneath another cactus's arms. He couldn't help the wild grin that grew. Evolution had pushed King to heights it would have taken years to reach while a Krabby.

The expression grew feral as the crab burst from the cluster with a battle cry. Ash slid to a stop just before exiting the cacti. His team stood around their foe in a half circle with King and Gore on the circle's edges. _Where's Vulpix?_ Ash tugged on the bill of his hat and turned to the enemy.

Their opponent was around eleven feet tall, had stone spikes running down her back that looked to have been about a foot long, and was about as broad as Ash was tall. She was a bipedal, gray creature with a cream colored belly and a horn over thirty inches long. A Rhydon, and as he feared, a very experienced specimen judging by the countless small scars on her chest and belly. There were three boulders surrounding the creature behind Rhydon. The mammal was defending an unmoving gray quadrupedal Pokemon with a tiny hump on its nose. Ash's eyes narrowed. He would need to have a serious talk with his Pokemon. The Rhyhorn was a calf, but its mother would have been a Rhydon of several months at the least. A tough opponent for King or Gore. Ash would need to have a serious talk with his predatory Pokemon.

Rhydon roared and swung a trunk-like arm at Willow. A blade of stone ripped from the earth and soared at the saurian who darted away from it with ease. King and Gore hissed and shot bursts of chilly wind at Rhydon. She grunted and thrust both arms out raising two boulders in the snow's path. Hellfire shot a Flame Burst at her chest, making her lip twitch. Rhydon bared her canines in a grin as the Houndour's ears fell. "Stick to Dark moves!" Ash ordered clenching his jaw.

A Rhydon could live in magma over three thousand and six hundred degrees comfortably. Incinerate and Fire Spin were worthless. _Damn._ _I should have focused on Snarl._ "Guys, listen up! Her armor's weaker on the back! Try and give Willow a clean shot if you can!" Ash barked falling to a knee. To his delight, his older team members kept their eyes trained on their opponent as they voiced their understanding.

Hellfire couldn't help sending glance at Ash. Rhydon's eyes narrowed at the perceived disrespect and punched at him, launching a rock larger than the dog's head with such speed that the Houndour couldn't turn back. The Smack Down drew a pained yelp from the dog and knocked him onto his side. Ash's eyes shut tightly. _Wave's_ _black and red scales melted by a Dark Pulse._ Gore roared, snapping him from his memory, and charged the cow with Take Down. Rhydon spun and smacked the swine with her giant tail, sending the squealing boar tumbling several yards away.

King shot a large spray of bubbles at her that she blocked with one of her boulders. The boulder's surface dented and cracks grew on it, but it held easily under the crab Pokemon's assault. Willow slid to a stop behind Rhydon and shot two seeds into her massive head. The ground-type spun and swiped at the saurian with her tail. Willow's eyes widened in alarm before she flattened herself against the ground. The force behind Rhydon's blow dislodged a cloud of dust that obscured the tiny dinosaur. _Her Stone Sense is too advanced! Whether it's a frontal attack or not, she'll be ready._

The old cow cocked her fist back with narrowed eyes. A Bubblebeam slammed into her back, making her bellow in alarm and stumble. Glowing vines sprung from near her head and wrapped around her great horn. Rhydon bellowed angrily and swiped at Willow, who darted away with a squeak. The giant stomped her massive hoof dislodging a blade of rock larger than Ash's head. The rock flew at Rhydon's horn and ripped off the Leech Seed with ease. "Bubblebeam, Icy Wind!" the trainer roared.

King chirped and shot the strongest spray of bubbles he had ever produced into Rhydon's back, making her stumble. Gore shoved himself to his feet and blasted a gust of powdery snow at her. Rhydon's massive tail slammed into the ground, forcing a boulder as tall as she was to take the attack. Then Vulpix leaped over the rocks surrounding the calf with a bark. Rhydon only managed to raise a trunk-like arm as the vixen fired ray of shadowy energy. She shrieked and backpedaled into her own shield when the Confuse Ray burst before her.

Willow slid to a stop in front of Vulpix and shot a seed at the stunned giant's head. The seed exploded in a yellow burst, forcing the old cow to steady herself. She snarled at the younger females and swiped at them with her tail. Willow and Vulpix leaped over the attack, then they rolled away from two Mega Punches that made dents in the earth. The Bulbasaur leaped back fired a cloud of green dust that made the drew a snort from the older cow. Vulpix leaped as far as she could and shot an orb of purple fire into the Sleep Powder.

Ash's eyes widened in alarm as the powder ignited drawing a roar more of surprise than pain, from Rhydon. She tripped, her four-thousand pounds made the earth shake as she crashed into it. "Aim for the shield's top!" King fired a Water pulse that made the boulder shake while Gore charged it with Take Down. The Piloswine rammed the stone shield with a squeal, making its vibrating increase. To Ash's horror the boulder remained standing, then a flare of flame hit the rock and exploded. The shield shook before falling onto its mistress, making her shriek. Hellfire threw his head back and howled triumphantly.

The trainer cheered and rushed to the dog. Ash threw his arms around Hellfire's neck grinning so widely his face hurt. The dog yelped when he touched his eyes. "Sorry buddy," the trainer offered with a wince. The dog's left eye was swollen shut, and he had a long, thin cut next to the eye. Ash winced. Even the Nidoking couldn't claim such raw power with a Smack Down. Gore strode up to them and butted his partner lightly. "You were great too!" Ash laughed, wrapping an arm around as much of the boar as he could.

King gave the Rhydon a dark look before sauntering toward them. The Kingler gave him a salute, then slumped with as much dignity as he could manage. Willow wobbled up to them favoring her left side with Vulpix helping to steady the Bulbasaur with her head. "That was awesome," Ash said, giving them a small smile. _Probably gonna have to have a talk about their using Blast Powder so close to themselves later._ His smile fell into a frown.

"That's not enough to do more than stun her," the trainer declared, pushing himself to his feet. "We need to move, as soon as Rhyhorn wakes up and starts crying she'l-" A sound like a crack of thunder cut him off. The boulder flew through the air and landed a few yards behind the team. Ash paled. It can't be- Already? "She's snapped run!" he ordered directing them to the cacti cluster. Ash grabbed Gore's ear as the boar tried to charge. "Run!" A blade of stone as large as the shield crashed into the earth before their path.

They turned as one toward the furious grandmother. Rhydon roared, the furious sound reminiscent of grinding boulders, and raised a giant hoof. A whine from behind her made the ground Pokemon freeze. She clenched her jaw and lowered her foot slowly. Ash pushed himself past Gore and King slowly. "Trust me," he said when they gave him furious looks. "Rhydon," he called swallowing heavily when she turned her rage-filled dark eyes to him.

"You're strong. Much stronger than we are. If we keep going you'll beat us worse than when Gore tried dueling with Pins-" Gore squealed a denial until King smacked him with a claw. "But, if you go all out, the calf will get caught up in it for sure!" Rhydon bared her canines and took a step forward. "So, let's… just forget about all this and go our, er, separate, ways," Ash offered twitching under the old cow fierce gaze. In the back of his mind, Ash noted, Gore stiffening and a light vibration in the earth. When he thought he saw the fury give way to reason he continued. "Your daughters and their calves need you right? And every second you're fighting with us leaves them vulnerable to predators…"

Rhydon stood at her full height and narrowed her eyes. Ash's eyes widened in horror as several gray forms strode into view. Rhydon, Rhyhorn, and a few tiny Pokemon he guessed he were the calves. _Her herd!_ Vulpix tugged at the leg of his jeans urgently. Ash swallowed and took a step back. The herd, doubtlessly Rhydon's children, were only thirty yards away. Then Rhydon waved her arm. The boulders surrounding the babe were sent soaring through the air with the motion.

The old cow dragged her hoof against the earth and huffed. The ground beneath the calf sprung up with such force that it was sent flying and squealing at its grandmother. Rhydon snagged the three-hundred-pound calf out of the air with one dull claw. Gore relaxed and King slumped again when she snorted. Rhydon gave the team a curt nod and placed the babe on her shoulder, before turning and striding to her bellowing children.

Ash sank to his knees feeling as though he'd run a lap around the corral. The Rhyhorn line, like the Onix line had to be at least one-hundred years old to evolve in the wild, without very special circumstances. That was an absolute rule even for the greatest prodigies. If he were to guess, he'd put that Rhydon over ninety percent of the Rhyperior in the world. She _'s definitely way more impressive than Proton's anyway._ Willow crawled onto his lap and buried her face in his chest. "And that," he began with a sigh, when the rest of the team surrounded him, "Is why it isn't smart to hunt Pokemon yet." Hellfire barked an agreement.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Next chapter is one I've been wanting to write for sixteen chapters now.

Vs. Misty.

Everyone, thank you for reading!


	19. Chapter 19

I put up a site on my profile that's got some pretty solid books. I'd recommend a look, it's paranormal fantasy with strong female leads.

I own many things, but Pokemon is not one of them.

Episode 19

Vs. Misty

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Cerulean City was among the oldest cities in Kanto. While not as old as Pewter or Lavender, it was known to have stood for a couple thousand years. The condos and the metal ships that visited its harbor were a sign of its advancing with the time. No matter how many millennia passed the city's love for the ocean remained strong. Fishing and the trade of rare shells and stones found in the sea fed the people of Cerulean as they had for thousands of years. Ash grimaced as he passed another seafood restaurant. It could do with something to counter the smell. He groaned when he felt a tug on his arm.

"Hellfire I swear to god, if you stop to sniff one more fire hydrant I'll bind your legs and mouth, strap a steak to you, and lock you in a room with Vulpix," Ash said with a pleasant smile. The dog's ears fell as he whimpered. The trainer's smile grew and he patted the Houndour's side. "That's a good boy," the trainer crooned. Hellfire twitched when they passed another tree, but Ash redirected him with a pull on his leash.

As annoying as the dog's fascination with everything he could get smell was, Ash was thankful he was out of his Pokeball. Having a member of his team with him made the crowds of Cerulean feel less overwhelming. Hellfire butted his hip. Ash turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

The trainer's eyes widened as he saw a Slowbro and three Kadabra levitate a massive orb of water. Several pink, heart-shaped fish Pokemon leaped as one from the orb and shot thin streams of water. The Luvdisc flipped as they descended into the orb, leaving pink streams of light. Ash's eyes narrowed when he saw part of the ripple. "Sir! Please move back, your Houndour is frightening our Pokemon!" a heavyset, bald man in a bawdy purple suit demanded. The angry Seadra that floated behind him was far less humorous.

Ash rolled his eyes and directed his Pokemon to the Nugget Bridge. "You wanna know why it's called the Nugget Bridge?" he asked, breathing easier when the scent of fish lightened. The dog turned to him with his ears up. "When the city was first built it relied only on fishing. It didn't have a bike shop or a factory in it, or anything else really. Everything came from the fish. So, when a terrible Gyarados scared off all the fish they didn't have a way to support themselves!" Ash was beginning to wonder if he enjoyed being as dramatic as much as his grandfather did.

Hellfire stared into the water beneath the Nugget Bridge with wonder. The idea of relying on water for everything would have seemed incredible. "The fishermen were forced to go deeper into the sea to find food, but wooden vessels couldn't survive Pokemon attacks and trained Pokemon can't protect their trainers from everything-" the Houndour interrupted with a firm bark that made Ash's lips curve upwards. "Eventually, the families of the fishermen begged them not to go out at sea, as half the vessels that did go, did not return."

"Many whose families had lived in the great city for generations were forced to leave to find food. It seemed the city was lost. But…. just before even the staunchest citizens fled, a man found a golden nugget in the water just beneath us," Ash continued falling to a knee and gesturing at the stream. "The man was stunned beyond words. Never in all his years had he beheld such a beautiful sight. The very next day, the man brought his three sons with him at dawn and they scoured the river, which would come to be called Pearl River, until it was dawn."

"The jubilant family raced to the city square and dumped their find for all of Cerulean to see!" Hellfire was staring at him now with a gleam in his brown eyes that reminded Ash of him curling up at his mother's side as she told him this very tale. "The citizens didn't know what to make of the Pearls, Stardusts, and shed Corsola skins, and Nugget, until a traveler from Vermillion offered the man a horse and four chickens for just one Stardust!"

"Then the people of the city realized that while they may not have use for the jewels, others did. So, the man took his new horse, his trusty Seadra, and a sack of jewels and set out for the nearest town. On the dawn of the ninety-first day of his journey he returned triumphant! He brought seeds, salt, cheese, bread, and cows, and chickens. But the greatest treasure Cerulean received was their new guardian." Ash leaned against the rail of the bridge. _Yeah, this spot'll do nicely._

"One of the prizes he found was the scale of a Dragonite," the trainer continued after peering into the clear water for a moment. "His Seadra instinctively knew the scale could make him stronger and longed to use its powers. But he also knew his partner would want to keep it if he knew what it meant to Seadra, so when Philip presented the scale in a market Seadra rushed to it and tapped his nose against it!" Ash cried, making Hellfire's eyes widen in anticipation.

"Seadra evolved into a majestic and mighty Kingdra! The crowd was so stunned by his evolution they offered the man three giant bags of seeds, and two cows for the scale! The next time the Gyarados showed its face Kingdra sent it running with its tail between its legs - it's an expression, buddy, I know they don't have legs - ever since then the Kingdra family have been Cerulean City's most beloved guardians," Ash finished moving away from the rail. "Look at that," he said directing the dog's head to the middle of the bridge.

There stood a statue of a tall bearded man who looked to be in his mid-thirties. He wore armor that was fashioned from the fallen scales of a Kingdra, and had a spear with a Seaking horn on it raised above his head. Next to the man, was the statue of his equally impressive partner. The ancient Kingdra's eyes were rubies, that glared ahead as though preparing to face a formidable foe.

"That's the duo from the story. Philip the Conjurer and his loyal Kingdra," Ash told the Houndour. The trainer laughed when Hellfire's eyes widened to the point they resembled eggs. "Philip was called the Conjurer because his knack for finding jewels and other valuable junk." The dog tilted his head to the side as though he just couldn't make sense of Ash's explained. _Though, I think Lyra the Conqueror, Dreyfus the Just, or even Gramps' the Professor are cooler names. Agatha's got a better one too. I kinda want a name….._

"Anyway, we better hurry. If we don't feed him soon Gore might die in his ball." Hellfire yipped amusedly.

Xxxxxxxxxx

"We have some special training today!" Ash declared with a grin. He gestured to the river. "Now, you don't have to worry this is a calm part, and we have King he-" The Kingler interrupted him with a shriek and leaped into the water. Ash flinched when the water splashed him. "It's a little-" Gore squealed and charged into the water after King. The trainer's eye twitched as he was splashed. The swine trudged through the water and snorted something that made King's eyes narrow.

Hellfire whimpered and shuffled as the other males began to wrestle. "Oh, just go." The dog yipped and spun, before licking his trainer's hand and racing into the water. King they can't breathe underwater right!" King they can't breathe underwater right!" King gave him a distracted chirp before Hellfire leaped onto him. "What?" Ash demanded when he saw Vulpix's glare. She pointed at the water with a delicate paw. "Yes, it's water and yes, you will be swimming. This is training," the trainer said, his tone firm.

Willow poked his forehead with a vine. "Wait you too? I thought you liked water!" Ash groaned. The saurian charged an energy ball and shot it at a tree, then gestured between the tree and the boys. When the trainer blinked Vulpix created a tiny shield over her head. "Ah, you don't get why we're doing this?" Ash asked slowly leaning back onto his heels.

The vixen gave him an annoyed look while Willow snorted. "Well, we're doing it for a few reasons," he began easing himself onto the now wet ground. Thank you Gore. "For one, it's getting colder so it'll help you two with the whole "we don't do cold thing", lady fire and little miss jungle native, but it's really more about the boys," Ash continued twitching when he was splashed again. Vulpix narrowed her eyes at him. Willow tilted her head to the left.

"Gore's thickened up a lot, and he's a ground-type, so ya know, it's best to make sure he can still swim just in case his er- "groundness"," Willow remained attentive but Vulpix gave him a look that reminded him of Daisy explaining why he couldn't eat bugs, "Okay, bone structure, he's maturing a lot, gained like a hundred pounds or something, and I want to make sure it hasn't affected his stamina and swimming ability." Ash sighed after a burst of chilly wind hit the back of his head. "Keep it over there!" he barked pointing to the right.

"King's stamina is a problem too, I knew that when I caught him, so this gives him a way to get some of his old energy back." Vulpix gave him a look that was bordering on approval. _She picked up on that too. Or Ninetales gave her some tips about water Pokemon._ Willow narrowed her eyes and turned to peer at the crab Pokemon. "This deals with those problems while giving them the exercise they need, and they're having fun, so ya know, bonus," Ash finished with a shrug.

He rose. _"Training isn't all about strategy or even moves, Ash," his grandfather said, as he watched Gore ram Wave's side and bounce off. "If all you do is work on their elemental capacity and their minds, a Pokemon's body will go soft." "How am I suppose to do all of that and learn new stuff?" Ash had demanded crossing his arms over his chest and pouting. "You don't," Oak responded rising._ Ash shook his head. _Was I ever really that naive?_

In under to withstand the strain of high-level moves a Pokemon had to be in great shape, and learning a move wasn't enough. "Mastery is something that can only come from doing something the right way time after time," Ash quoted his eyes intent on the Cirrus clouds above them. "Yeah, we'll be playing, but after each meal you'll use every move you have a few times each." Willow warbled before trotting to the water.

"We'll be needing it," Ash murmured. Misty wasn't nearly as gentle as Erika or as relaxed with challengers as Sabrina. Their biggest advantage over Erika hadn't been their ice moves. No, their advantage was how she perceived them. The "Nature Loving Princess" wouldn't fight a rookie seriously, it just wasn't in her nature. According to Sabrina, the only Pokemon she would have been willing to fight was Gore. Erika had a weakness for little and cute things. Ash glanced at Willow. _Sometimes getting the runt is a good thing._ If she were a few years older, I wouldn't have a Rainbow badge.

The Saffron Gym was the easiest of the Eight because they didn't care much about their challengers. Sabrina told him that most of those who came to Saffron for challenging battles went to the Fighting Dojo. Instead of focusing on battle prowess or even healing, the Psychics of the Saffron Gym helped train the majority of the Psychic Pokemon the other Gyms in Kanto and Johto used. The Gym matches gave those Pokemon the chance to get experience before they, and their partners were sent back to their city.

Ash found it a bit ironic. The Gym was undoubtedly the weakest, Sabrina herself admitted the Master of the Dojo Anthony was stronger than she was( though none of his team was as strong as Glace she added), but without her efforts their cities would be far more vulnerable.

The stoic woman had smiled when he'd realized the enormity of her work. Kadabra that teleported water Pokemon to a fire, the Mr. Mime who supported storm shelters, and the Hypno that levitated debris, they were her contribution. The reverence the woman received was just as deserved as any Master's. Vulpix pushed at his leg with a paw.

Ash blinked. "Right let's get started!" he said with a smile.

Xxxxxxxx

 _The Cerulean Gym is just as massive as the Celadon Gym. Well, as long as we're not counting the Gym's greenhouse._ The building had a massive Dewgong that appeared to be swimming through blue waves on its purple and orange striped roof. Ash raised a brow. A Dewgong? The Cerulean Gym adored the Horsea line and were fond of the Poliwag and Staryu lines. He'd never known them to be particular to the Seel line.

"Monday through Friday Gym hours 10:00 a.m. Through 3:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 10:00 to 1:30 p.m." Ash tugged on his hat. He was thirty minutes early then. The Celadon hours were longer even with what the Saffron Gym leader told him about Erika's sleeping issue. _Misty doesn't seem the type to take slack off, so why?_ He shrugged.

It would probably be for the best to come back tomorrow anyway. The Rhydon had broken a few of Gore's ribs. A Pokemon's body could mend a broken foot, or rib, or even receiving an Acid down the throat without outside help, with enough time and stubbornness on the Pokemon's part( Gore had plenty of that). But taking time to make sure there truly weren't any lasting injuries may have been for the best. With two fire-types, the swine would be a necessity in a battle near water. _Until Vulpix gets more experienced anyway._

"You got what you wanted now get the hell out!" a girl that sounded close to Daisy's age shrieked, making him wince.

"Quit being such a baby! It's our Gym too, and we can come as we please!" another older girl declared. The Gym's automatic doors opened and a girl with pink hair marched out - _what the hell?_ \- with a red-faced redhead a step behind her.

"You three lost any right to the Gym three years ago!" Misty snarled priming a Pokeball. Ash whipped his head to the pink-haired girl with such speed his neck hurt. _That's her sister?_ The pink-haired girl flinched.

"Fine!" she snapped before stomping down the white steps. _Not exactly the closest family, eh? Then again the only time I've ever been nice to my brother was when we were battling a terrorist organization… Wonder if that know-it-all is still alive. I mean, he did run away from a baby Spearow that one time._ Ash shrugged _. Eh, he has Janine with him now, he'll be fine. Probably._

"Ash?" the Gym Leader called blinking at him. "You were supposed to be here like two months ago! You worried your sister sick!" Misty growled crossing her arms over her chest.

"Uh ye~ah some stuff happened, and I wasn't here," Ash offered wrinkling his nose. Misty wore blue shorts and white shirt with a Horsea on it. The redhead's shoulder length hair was free of its usual ponytail and wild, to Ash it looked like she'd just woken. Her light blue eyes were red on the edges, and had bags under them, there was also a large red mark on her forehead. The girl's cheeks flushed.

"Er, sorry bout the welcome, and the breath, I've been a bit busy," Misty mumbled with an awkward chuckle. "Welcome to Cerulean Gym!" she said, extending a hand.

 _Is she bipolar?_ "Thanks," the trainer said, shaking the hand. His eyes narrowed suspiciously when the redhead smirked.

"It's an honor to have you, oh mighty hero of Lavender and Donphan, Ashy!" the Gym Leader cried, falling into a bow. She laughed when he gaped.

"How could you possibly- Daisy!" Ash growled unconsciously baring his canines as Gore did when angry.

"Yeah," Misty said, chuckling and wiping a tear from her eye. "It's not so fun when you're the little one, but I can see why my idiots were so fond of it!"

"Don't you mean sisters?"

"Isn't that what I said?" the redhead asked, tilting her head to the side. "Pretty sure it's what I said. Well, it's early, but I don't see why I can't make an exception for my friend's little brother," the Gym leader said turning and striding to the Gym's doors.

"I'm as tall as you now!" Ash snapped marching after her. He frowned. _So that's why Daisy was staying in Cerulean a while back – she was with Misty. Why didn't she tell me she was friends with a big shot?_ His frown deepened. _She's always been to herself, I guess. Ever since Uncle Garrett-_

"Sure you are Ashy," Misty sang with a snicker.

"Look, can we just be professional here?" the trainer pleaded.

"Nope!"

"I figured," Ash sighed, his shoulders slumping. Misty may have been trying to annoy him with nonsense, but Ash had been Gore's trainer for over five years now. Tuning out inane babble was second nature by now. Instead, he counted the tiles as she led him to the battlefield. _Thirty-one, thirty-two-_

"I said, what do you think?" the Gym Leader asked loudly enough for him to flinch.

"I-I agree with you?" It came out like a question, thankfully the redhead didn't notice. She beamed.

"Even after that oil spill a week ago, that nasty old witch only thinks about money! Well, I got twenty thousand of signature at the Conjurer's festival to save those cute Tentacool and Tentacruel!" Misty chirped. Ash blinked. _She thinks giant jellyfish are cute?_ "I'm sure the people of Porta Vista will care too, so I'm sending a few extra Gym Trainers on the next ship headed there to gather support!"

"Porta Vista?" Ash muttered. _That's right, a new condo or something is being built there._ Daisy had mentioned it before he'd left Rifure Village. A tycoon named Christina wanted to destroy the enormous coral reef, there to make room for her hotel and theme park. Porta Vista, unlike most of Kanto wasn't under the control of the Eight, so the League's leaders didn't have much authority over the city. It was up to the Gym of the city and the mayor to deal with the tycoon. _Of course, one of them is a politician, so it's probably gonna get built._

Like many Champions when they were inaugurated, Brandon Blackthorn had been young when he created the Dragon league. Apparently, a Mayor of Pewter tried to take advantage of the young man. Brandon the Great was often called the Great Butcher, mostly in Sinnoh, for very good reason. If a man of Pewter was willing to try to cheat the legend who practically destroyed the Whirl Islands military alone, then, in Ash's mind, it was best to be cautious around politicians. There were a few who regarded him as the Conqueror's equal. Ash snorted. The ones who pushed that belief were natives of Blackthorn or from the Blackthorn family.

His grandfather told him there was only one Pokemon in the history of the League stronger than Aoife, and that there had never been a trainer as strong as Lyra. Ash smirked. The confession seemed to pain the old man. No matter how he acted, Oak was as proud of his strength as his team. A small hand with a long scar was waving in front of his face. "Yo, you spacing out?" Misty's voice cut in.

"Just thinking," Ash said with a shrug. He started when he saw a bipedal, round, blue Pokemon with a white belly that had black lines that resembled a whirlpool on it waddle past him. The armless Pokemon's long fin-like tail confirmed its species. It was a Poliwag, and it appeared to be trying to hug Misty's leg with its non-existent arms. She smiled and patted the tadpole's slimy head drawing a happy squeak from it. "Quite the field," he mumbled.

The battlefield was a pool. _That's a huge disadvantage right out of the gate_. The pool was at least thirty yards long and twenty yards wide. There were several white, round platforms floating in the pool. Six pinniped Pokemon with bluish white fur, a tiny horn, and a big red tongue were balancing red balls on their noses.

Ash blinked as he scoured his surroundings. The Cerulean Gym held water shows as an extra way to make money, so the battlefield having large stands shouldn't have surprised him. He shrugged, it wasn't that odd. Erika had a greenhouse and a perfume shop. Her Gym Trainers had nearly gotten their Leader in trouble after someone disrespected their perfume. _I wonder what they did?_ A light cough drew him from his thoughts. Misty held a hand out expectantly.

"Same as Celadon?" Ash muttered, pulling out his wallet. She nodded. He'd have left the Celadon Gym without paying had one of the Gym Trainers not cut him off. He took one last look at his ten-dollar bill. Champion Yellow the Gentle's bow wearing Raichu smiled back at him. When he handed it over he marched to the end of the field. "Let's just do this!" Ash released Willow. The Bulbasaur tilted her head at the field before her.

"Can you give us the field!" Misty cried cupping her hands to her mouth. The water at the center of the swirled into a small whirlpool as Hero rose from the depths of the pool. Beads of water dripped from the golden scales of the dragon's belly, and the thin spines of his crown as he floated above the now calm water. The Kingdra's piercing red eyes turning to them made his Pokemon flinch and move behind his legs. Ash twitched. _Why in the name of the Gods are you hiding behind me?_ Hero rumbled and the training Pokemon swam to the edge of the pool. The Kingdra glared at the water and rumbled again, this time with a note of frustration.

The water beneath the young Kingdra rippled when a blue head with a red spike on it broke the surface. The Pokemon was a Feraligatr. He was a crocodilian Pokemon that had blue scales with three large, red spikes. The spike along his back seemed even more intimidating than the spikes on his head, and tail due to the big bull's bulk. The giant crawled out of the water next to Misty with a yawn. Ash swallowed as the beast stood on his hind legs.

Even slouching the Feraligatr had to have been taller than the Nidoking he'd fought in Lavender all those months ago. Ash glanced at Hero. Partners were important for more than just teaching new trainers responsibility. Their strength was a sign of their trainer's to new team members. Why would a Pokemon obey a trainer who couldn't train their first Pokemon well? _And Feraligatr surfaced when he called him._

"Crusher, go get Jim and tell Ine to go round back. I really don't think we need a repeat of yesterday," the redhead's sentence ended in a mutter. The bipedal reptile shuddered and fell onto all fours. Crusher raced to the doors with a speed that exceeded any man's. The blue beast paused only to allow the doors the chance to open.

Ash unconsciously relaxed and felt his Bulbasaur do the same when one of the apex predators departed. "This'll be a two on two match! Only you can switch out your Pokemon! I'll be releasing first," Misty shouted as she took her place in the trainer's box. The doors opened, and a balding man who looked to be in his mid-fifties strode in with Crusher on his heels. A Starmie, four feet across and four feet tall, with a massive, red jewel at the center of its purple body floated in a moment after.

The trainer felt his Pokemon stiffen again. To his surprise they were watching the Starmie warily. The Starmie's jewel flashed, then several brown starfish with small red jewels floated out of the water. Four Starmie, a few inches smaller than the first, floated out of the water as well. The water and psychic-types floated at spots around the field that had red marks. _Those Starmie and Staryu must be the ones who maintain the barrier. I like the Exeggutor and Exeggute better._

"This will be a two on-" the balding man boomed.

"I already told him!" Misty shouted releasing her first Pokemon. It was entirely blue with the exception of yellow around its eyes that resembled a mask, and yellow on the bottom of its tail fin. The Pokemon had a dorsal fin with two yellow orbs, one that hung in front of the fish's face and another that hung over its back. It was a Lanturn. If he were to wager a guess, he'd say the fish was about four feet long and likely fifty pounds heavy.

"Of course you did," Jim muttered. "Challenger select your Pokemon!"

"Willow," Ash muttered narrowing his eyes at their foe. The saurian snorted and leaped onto the nearest platform. Lanturn were water and electric-type Pokemon. His grandfather told him the electrical prowess of the Chinchou line was the reason the Magikarp around Cianwood had evolved to resist electricity, and why a select few could even use Thunderbolt. They were a species that virtually every water Gym in the world prized.

Cerulean, Fuchsia, and Vermillion made a great deal of their income guarding ships. The Chinchou family were the perfect deterrents for water Pokemon. Many captains paid a hefty sum to ensure that they received a couple Lanturn. Even Gyarados and Kingdra would think twice about stealing fish from a ship protected by a few Lanturn. Ash chuckled. Many believed Gyarados were especially weak to electricity because of their water and flying typing. But flying Pokemon were only truly vulnerable to electricity in the air (a paralyzed wing had to have been a downer). The Gyms would be foolish to explain that to the ignorant though. Fear of Gyarados was extremely profitable.

It's orbs light up to lure Pokemon in, and can get bright enough to be blind temporarily. "This is the one we trained for," Ash muttered receiving a warble in return. He smirked when he noticed her focus was entirely on her opponent. She was frightened of the Starmie, that was obvious, but was trained enough to focus on the task at hand. The Starmie gave a cry in a manner that seemed approving.

"Match 1, Bulbasaur versus Lanturn begin!" Jim cried, thrusting both arms above his head.

"Dive Shot!" Misty ordered. Lanturn warbled and shot a wide spray of bubbles at its opponent. Willow squeaked before racing to the end of her platform and leaping to the one nearest her. Ash sighed when Lanturn dove beneath the water. _It was a distraction after all._

"Unseen 1!" he said making Misty's eyes narrow. The Bulbasaur shut her eyes, lowered herself to the ground and extended her vines. Ash glanced at the calm water. As he had expected, Lanturn was trained well enough to turn off its light while diving. Then the water Pokemon's head broke the surface at the Bulbasaur's back. "Behind!" Ash cried. Lanturn shot a stream of concentrated water as the saurian flipped around.

Willow's eyes widened in alarm, then she slapped the ground with her vines sending her over the Water Gun. The Lanturn's eyes widened in alarm when she shot a spray of poison at it. The water-type shrieked and flailed as its hide began to melt. _Gods, I love Chlorophyll!_ "Dive!" Misty barked.

"Grab it!" Ash countered. The Lanturn squeaked when Willow's vines wrapped around its dorsal fin.

"Flash Spark!" the Gym Leader commanded with a grin. The yellow orb on Lanturn's fin brightened abruptly making Willow shriek and Ash recoil. Willow squealed in pain as the water-type was consumed by a shroud of electricity.

"Poison Powder!" Ash snapped, blinking rapidly. He couldn't make out the saurian's attack but he heard Lanturn shriek before wiggling free. He heard a splash and his Pokemon shriek before his vision returned enough to see the battle. The Bulbasaur had a cut along her bulb that was dripping red liquid and was favoring her left side. The trainer's eyes narrowed.

Then the Lanturn peeked out of the water and fired an orb of Electricity at Willow. The saurian moved to evade only for her front left leg to give out. The Electro Ball slammed into Ash's Pokemon, making him flinch and sending the squeaking Bulbasaur sliding to the edge of the platform. Willow's vines shot to the other side of the platform to brace herself.

"Bubble Beam!" Misty called with a predatory grin. Lanturn squeaked, narrowed its eyes then rushed Willow's platform

"Return!" Ash said as he recalled his Pokemon. Lanturn gave a victorious trill and did a flip. The Seel, Poliwag, Crusher gave happy cries while Hero rumbled approvingly. The trainer blinked when the crocodile leaned back onto his hind legs and hopped from foot to foot. _I-is he dancing?_

"Nice work!" the redhead called giving the fish a thumbs up.

"That one was on me, you hear? Don't take it too hard," Ash mumbled tugging on the bill of his hat. The Bulbasaur's ball wiggled in response. He clenched his jaw. _Her left leg was paralyzed and I didn't even catch it!_ The trainer took a deep breath. _Grabbing it nearly cost us the match._

 _I should have ordered her to whip it._

"Challenger, you have thirty seconds to release a new Pokemon or else you'll forfeit!" Jim announced giving him a stern look.

"Right, go King!" Ash called throwing his friend's ball onto the nearest platform. The raven-haired caught his friend's capsule as King materialized in a flash of scarlet light. The cheering Seel and Poliwag froze when the young Kingler regarded them. Crusher stopped dancing and Hero's eyes narrowed.

"So you pulled it off," Misty observed giving the Kingler an appraising look. Lanturn keened, its eyes drooping. Ash smirked. _So you got hit by the Powder eh?_ "You can do this Lanturn!" the redhead said smiling encouragingly at the fish.

"Match 2 Kingler versus Lanturn begin!"

"Rapid Gun!" Ash snapped. King glared and shot three Water Guns at their foe. Lanturn squeaked and dove under the water. The crab Pokemon hissed and rushed after it. "Wait, it's the electric one!" The Kingler froze before glaring at the water and moving to the center of the platform. "Harden," the trainer directed rubbing his chin.

The fish stayed submerged for several moments then leaped out of the water, making Ash's eyes widen in shock. It shot a wide spray of bubbles at King that swept the shrieking crab off the platform. "King out!" Ash barked as the Lanturn flipped back into the pool. King burst to the surface and dragged himself back onto the platform with an annoyed hiss.

"Spark!" Misty ordered. Ash's eyes widened as he saw a light approaching his Pokemon from behind.

"Behind!" he cried, making the crab flip around with narrowed eyes.

"Get back!" the Gym leader cried her eyes widening. Lanturn was already shrouded in electricity and leaping out of the water. The Kingler cocked his dominant claw back as the fish left the pool. King slammed his claw into Lanturn's side with a crack that sent the fish flying into the shield in front of Ash. The boy winced at the crack the fish crashing into the barrier made. Pink energy surround Lanturn as it fell. The fish was then consumed by the scarlet light of a Pokeball. "Not bad," Misty admitted drawing another Pokeball. "But this next one has more of a fighter's spirit!" she declared tossing her Pokeball into the water.

King's new opponent was a slightly short, but stouter than average Tentacruel. The Tentacruel was a light blue jellyfish-like Pokemon that was around five feet long. The jellyfish had two large red crystal spheres encrusted on its head that were capable of storing sunlight. Ash narrowed his eyes when he saw the small red gem on its forehead. "Its got eighty tentacles that can extend, and regenerate, and it shoots beams of sunlight out the small gem," Ash whispered. _And there's a skylight too..._ King gave him a sharp look. "It only leaves fourteen out at a time. It's got way stronger poison than Willow too." The crab Pokemon gave an annoyed rumble. "I know, not my favorite style either."

"Tentacruel versus Kingler, begin!" Jim shouted.

"Pulse!"

"Water Pulse!" Tentacruel narrowed its eyes and King cocked his dominant arm back. Swirling orbs of water developed, then the Pokemon chirped and fired their attacks. Ash's eyes widened in alarm as the Tentacruel's Water Pulse overwhelmed King's. The attack smashed into the Kingler sending him skidding off his platform. Tentacruel shrieked a battle cry and dove after the crab Pokemon.

Ash watched with bated breath as the water rippled, and splashed, then Tentacruel shot out and landed on the second nearest platform. A second later, King burst out of the water and onto a platform. Ash grimaced when he saw the pieces of the crab's armor that had been melted off. Water could wash away powder attacks as long as the powder hadn't already set in, but it could do little to mitigate the danger of a spray of poison if it landed. Acidic attacks were just too fast acting. Tentacruel only had a small cut beneath the gem on its forehead. _I can't switch Willow in yet, she can't possibly finish it, so King'll have to make due._

"Supersonic!" Misty said narrowing her eyes.

"Rapid Gun!" Ash countered his eyes widening in horror. _I can't believe I forgot it can use this!_ Tentacruel shrieked and inhaled deeply before letting out a shriek. King fired four concentrated streams of water at the jellyfish's head before the sound waves could reach him. The Water Guns tore off patches of skin near Tentacruel's small gem, making it cry out in pain.

Then the sound waves of Supersonic hit King. The crab swayed as his eyes drooped.

"Sludge!" Misty ordered a predatory grin stretching her lips. Tentacruel's dark eyes held a similar gleam as it shot a spray of poison at his stunned crab.

"Into the water!" Ash barked. The crab pushed off against the platform with his claw sending himself sliding into the pool.

"Gotcha!" the Gym leader cried pumping a fist. Tentacruel pushed itself up onto its tentacles and gave a cry that made the young Pokemon cheer. The water under King's platform began to swirl violently until it resembled a small whirlpool. Ash swallowed when he heard his Kingler give a confused shriek. He could only make out King's dominant claw flailing in the whirlpool. "Finish him!" Tentacruel shot a spray of poison high into the air above the crab, then it leaped into the water.

"Harden!" the trainer cried clenching his fists. _Using it a second time might be worthless but there's nothing else!_ The crab was consumed by Harden before shrieking as the poison melted more of his armor. Ash drew the crab Pokemon's Pokeball. His eyes widened as the Whirlpool began to slow. Then there was a violent ripple and King leaped onto his shaky platform with a furious chirp. Tentacles sprung from the water around the platform and grabbed the crab's creamy arms, making him narrow his eyes.

King rumbled and yanked with his right arm, sending the shrieking jellyfish flying out of the pool. He pulled him down and cocked his dominant arm back. Tentacruel shrieked and sprayed another burst of poison, but this time the crab Pokemon only twitched. King shrieked and slammed Tentacruel in his small jewel sending the Pokemon soaring. The Kingler's smaller claw clenched, severing the tentacles it held, and drawing another whine of pain.

The Jellyfish crashed on another platform five yards away. King glared at it before swaying, then his legs finally gave out. Ash cursed when Tentacruel forced itself back onto its tentacles with a groan. The jellyfish glared at the Kingler. The crystals on the top of its head glowed then it fired a crimson beam at King. Ash recalled him before it could connect. The beam exploded forcing pieces of stone into the air.

"In the match of Kingler versus Tentacruel! Victor Tentacruel!" Jim said.

The trainer eyed the sizable missing chunk of the platform carefully. _She can't take more than one of those._ He tossed Willow's ball. The saurian's eyes widened in horror when she saw her opponent. "Give it one good shot and it's over!"

"Keep fighting till the bitter end, Gem!" Misty shouted receiving an enthusiastic chirp from what he sincerely hoped was a female jellyfish. The Pokemon of the Gym gave cries that made Willow wilt until Hero gave them a chiding look. The Kingdra snorted respectfully and Gem puffed herself up.

"Final match! Bulbasaur versus Tentacruel begin!" Jim shouted.

"Supersonic!" the Gym Leader ordered. Gem released a shriek of such volume that the Bulbasaur flinched.

"Vines out! Into the water!" the challenger snapped. Willow turned to him as though he were insane. "Do it!" Misty grinned triumphantly when the tiny dinosaur entered the Tentacruel's domain.

"Whirlpool!" Gem shrieked and the water beneath the platform began to swirl. Ash snickered as the whirling water grew stronger.

"What's with-" Misty's inquiry ended with a gasp as vines sprung from the Whirlpool. Willow yanked on the shaking platform with such force that she was thrown back onto it. The saurian shook her head vigorously before glaring at the wide-eyed jellyfish.

"Now!" Willow chirped and raced to the end of the platform, then she slapped the shaking stone, throwing herself through the air. A tiny green orb grew in the saurian's mouth as Gem snapped out of her stupor and slapped at her with tentacles. Willow fired her Energy Ball into the jellyfish's forehead, only making it flinch and its tentacles fly above her head.

The Bulbasaur rammed Gem knocking her onto her back. Willow landed in a heap next to Gem with a squeak. Ash cursed and gnashed his teeth. _If only we were outside!_ The Bulbasaur shrieked when three tentacles pinned her to the platform. Gem forced herself up and glared at her opponent. "Throw her away!" Misty snapped. Then green powder hit the jellyfish's eyes making her stumble away from Willow. Gem shrieked and wiped at her eyes furiously. "Into the pool!"

"Finish it!" Ash roared with a feral grin. As Gem leaped, the Bulbasaur shot a small seed at her back. The trainer covered his eyes when the Seed Bomb detonated. He uncovered himself when he heard no pained cries. _Did she miss?_ Ash blinked then turned to Willow. The grass Pokemon was lying on her belly with all her legs extended. She turned herself enough to look at him and cooed. The trainer grinned a sense of elation making his chest warm. "Bit tired?" Willow glared at him as he recalled her.

"I owe Daisy money now, thanks," Misty said with a sigh as she marched up to him.

"Never bet against me," Ash advised with a laugh. _A Cascade badge!_ His smile fell slightly as he came to a realization. His next battle would be with the oldest Gym in the world. A Gym whose Pokemon of choice had survived and thrived where Aerodactyl and Tyrantrum died out.

"She said that too," Misty mumbled with a pout that probably would have been cute if she didn't look like she just woke up. She stood at her full height, pulled something out of her pocket, and straightened her back. "As the Gym Leader of Cerulean, I award you with this Cascade badge," the redhead declared offering her city's symbol.

"Thanks," the victor breathed his smile returning. I can worry about that later. The badge was almost entirely blue and shaped like a raindrop. The only design on it was a glaring Kingdra with red eyes. Ash blinked when a shadow fell over him.

"We woke you up didn't we?" the Gym leader asked with a weak grin. An unamused snort nearly blew Ash's hat off. The trainer turned slowly. Floating behind him with the large Starmie over its shoulder was a Kingdra. Its blue armor were nearly as scarred as Wave's red and blue scales. His breath left his chest when the beast's rubies regarded him. The Kingdra gave Misty a sharp look. "R-right! Uh, Ash this is Hero's, great-great whatever, he's Bane and this is Star, she's a girl, they were part of my ancestor Macy's team," she said pointing to the Kingdra that made Hero look like a Horsea and the Starmie.

"Macy? Champion Macy you mean?" Ash inquired raising a brow. He didn't know much about the woman, only that she was the last decent Champion they had until his grandfather, that she was Dreyfus Blackthorn's successor, and that her death was the beginning of the conflict with Sinnoh. He narrowed his eyes. _But Macy was inaugurated over a hundred years ago…. How old are they?_ Star gave a quiet cry that made Bane snort amusedly.

"The very same!" Misty said her chest puffing out with pride. "They've been protecting the Gym for longer than my great-grandma has been around, and believe me, that's a really long time." She paled. "Please don't tell her I said that," the redhead begged turning to the Starmie. The glow of the Stamie's red jewel lit up ominously.

"Well, have fun with that," Ash said turning and striding away from the pleading Gym Leader. _She'll be fine… Probably. Maybe. Anyway, to Mt. Moon!_

Xxxxxxxxxxx

A.N.

Hah, Willow wilted. You get it?

If an alligator is 4 feet it's tail is about 3.5 feet. You have an idea how big Crusher is.

Questions for my reviewers.

So what's you favorite Into the Wild fight? Mine is probably Bloom vs Tundra. Or Vs Nidoking, I know it dragged out for some, but I liked it.

What's your favorite team member?

What's you favorite Pokemon fight? You already know mine.


	20. Chapter 20

Really sorry for needing to repost this.

Fun fact for today, Ash's birthday is the Winter Solstice.

Also, I used the name Willow first. That is all.

Episode 20

The First Migration.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Ash was standing before a white house with a large, broken window. He fell to a knee and ran his hands along the thin line carved into the house. _This is where we fought that Houndoom and Golbat…_ The trainer reached to his waist, only to find his Pokeballs weren't on his belt. His hat was gone too. Ash's heart pounded in his ears. A terrible chill made him shiver, and a great pressure nearly made him buckle. _She's coming again… It's just a dream, but I still can't stop shaking._ This time he didn't even have his Pokemon. Ash took a step back as the pressure grew.

He leaped onto the windowsill and slid over. Ash gasped when the shards of the broken window cut into his palm. "I can't believe I did it again!" he hissed through gritted teeth. The boy flattened himself against the ground as the pressure intensified. _She's getting close._ The trainer bit his lip so hard he bled. _Gore falling with a hole in his chest…_ His breathing quickened, Ash's head throbbed.

The temperature dropped lower still when the sun was obscured by the black clouds. A boom near him made him flinch. _She's not even bothering to check before blowing them up!_ The trainer pushed himself up only to fall back onto all fours. Ash panted heavily when his next attempt failed. A cold sweat dripped from his forehead as fear clenched his heart. " _I'm going to make you the strongest Pokemon in the world!"_ Ash flinched. He'd promised Gore that the moment he realized the piglet would be his partner.

 _What the hell is wrong with me? I'm the grandson of a Champion! My sister is an Ace! I've been working too hard for too damn long to give up!_ Ash snarled and shoved himself to his feet. He stumbled before slamming his right foot down to steady himself. He paused when he felt an odd weight in his pocket. "My hat!" Ash cried, drawing it and putting it on. He frowned. _How did it-_ The house across the street exploded in a massive, black cloud with dark lightning and a boom. There wasn't time to waste. He strode to the backdoor with labored pants and slung it open.

The legendary Gengar grinned at him as the pressure of her might nearly made him buckle again. An icy claw gripped the boy's heart. _Gore falling with a hole in his chest..._ He gritted his teeth and steeled his resolve. Something small and warm curled into his side, then the purple flames appeared. "I'm done," Ash said, exhaling heavily. He'd stand his ground.

Ash was so taken by his thoughts; he didn't notice the purple flames grow larger. The Fog's eyes widened in alarm as the flame coiled like a whip. Then it slapped the Gengar, making a portion of her chest burst into gas, and drawing a pained shriek. "Press her!" Ash ordered his hands instinctively reached for his belt. This time his Pokeballs were there.

Once released, his team surrounded him in a half circle. "Wipe her out!" he commanded. The Fog shrieked as Water Guns, an Icy Wind, Embers, Energy Balls, and Flame Bursts slammed into her. The whip reared back, then struck her chest making the Fog's body burst into gas. Ash watched the gasses for a moment, then gave his team a relieved grin.

He reached out to pat Gore and his friends burst into smoke. _In their Pokeballs_. He didn't know how he knew, only that he was certain they were in the safety of the capsules. "Thanks," Ash said, smiling at the purple fire. His breathing was still a bit uneven, but that was the only sign the Fog had ever existed. The flames seemed to regard him for a moment, then it faded away as well. Ash woke with a gasp, sitting up quickly enough to make his head spin. The boy heard the now familiar rustle at his side. _Not this time!_

"Vulpix?" Ash muttered, raising a brow at the flailing vixen. The boy's other brow rose when she went very still and stared at him as though he'd caught her attempting murder. "What're yo-" his eyes widened. The Vulpix line couldn't use Hex after they earned their third tail, but they were known to apply curses. They used their powerful emotions and connection to the distorted realm of Giratina to give those who slighted them nightmares, or hallucinations, that could drive the victim to madness. It was one of the many mysteries of the enigmatic breed.

He narrowed his eyes at the stiff Pokemon. _She's not experienced enough to give me nightmares, and honestly, she'd want to give them to Hellfire first._ Ash still wasn't sure why she hated the dog, yet was willing to tolerate the other boys and had helped Willow without prompting. _Something small and warm curling into my side…_ His eyes widened. "You're the purple fire!"

She covered his mouth with her paws, then glanced at the other team members. Hellfire made an odd groaning noise and stretched his legs, but Willow didn't stir. Gore was awake, the Piloswine was a simple creature, but he was still a herd oriented boar. There was little that his ears and hooves didn't notice. Gore had known about his dreams for some time, Ash knew. _Probably for the best that King is in an aquarium._

"Did you… mean to help me?" Ash inquired regarding the vixen. Vulpix covering her eyes with tails was all the answer he needed. He leaned in next to her ear, so close even Gore would struggle to hear. "I wonder what everyone else might think of you if they knew?" The vixen shuddered. "Might think you're not so bad, eh?" She stared at him as Gore often did when Ash wouldn't let him have more food. "But… Since you helped me out I won't tell…" He grinned. "Unless you give me reason to that is," he finished his grin widening when her ears fell. Ash placed the vixen onto his pillow with tenderness one might show to a baby.

After he was dressed, he turned back to Vulpix. She stared at him with blank eyes. "You enjoy another bit of sleep now," the trainer whispered with a grin as he shut the door. Ash muffled his snickers behind his hand as best he could. Vulpix appreciated being viewed as a ruthless huntress far too much. He'd thank her someday, when it was less likely to traumatize her. _Actually, what I just did might've been even worse… At least Hellfire won't be getting shoved off a cliff or anything now._

Ash was up even earlier than he'd intended. The sun couldn't be seen through the center's clear doors yet. _Today is Friday, so she should be up._ _I hope she's in range._ He stretched a bit. The trainer felt as though a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He keyed in Daisy's number. "Hello," she said when the screen came to life.

"It's me. How've ya been?" Ash asked, leaning back in his chair.

"I've been well, but you would know that if you called more than once at each town!" Daisy snapped, making the boy's eyes widen. _She does have a point, though._ It was easy to be distracted in a new place, he found. Celadon had its department store, Pewter its Museum, and Cerulean its water, there was always something to see.

"Drink your coffee Dais," Ash advised while putting his hands up in a gesture of surrender. The brunette blinked at him before taking a sip.

 _It should be safe by now._ "You alright?" the trainer inquired, his tone a bit wary. Trainers and their partners tended to share personality traits. He didn't need to know how the legendary temper, and grudge bearing nature of a Nidoking had affected his sweet sister. _She even forgave that Silver Conference thing._

"No, no, I'm not," the girl admitted, looking far older than her sixteen years. "The Great Kangaskhan has left Fuschia."

"The what, left where now?" Ash asked, tilting his head to the side. _The Great Kangaskhan huh?_ He was certain Janine had mentioned it when she was talking about Hopper's herd.

"The Great Kangaskhan left the Fuschia Safari Zone yesterday morning," Daisy repeated her small nose crinkling. "Did you already wear those clothes?"

 _Should not have gotten her to drink that coffee._ "Eh, no," the boy said, averting his eyes. _That Pikachu clock is cute…_ "Wait, what's weird about the Kangaskhan moving somewhere?" Ash inquired, turning back to his sister. Pokemon migrating wasn't anything odd. Ground Pokemon moved south when winter came, herbivores moved to find new pastures, and predators followed the herbivores. His sister bit her lip, looking as though she wanted to say something, then sighed.

"Most of the normal-types went with her," Daisy explained her gray eyes becoming stormy. "Her troop… they're the most numerous of all the Kangaskhan troop in the world. And thousands of Pokemon from other species went with her, even a few people are going." Ash's eyes widened in alarm. "She's crossing the sea on a road of ice, probably to Cianwood, that's where she was the last time she moved. But, Ash, the last time she did this was right before the Greenfield Tragedy," she finished leaning back in her chair with another sigh.

Ash gaped like a Goldeen. His grandfather, great-grandmother, and great-aunt had lived through the tragedy. After pleading to the point of nearly driving the old man to madness, his grandfather told him of Greenfield. About fifty years ago, the town of Greenfield was nearly destroyed. Thousands of people and Pokemon had been killed by blue crystals, trees were uprooted, even cars were crushed by the crystals.

On that very day, all of the volcanoes in Kanto and Johto erupted. Entire cities had been buried in lava and ash. Cinnabar would have been lost were it not for Blaine (Ash still couldn't believe he didn't recognize the mustache). Then the Sinnoh Champion, Bertha, had seized the opportunity to attack the weakened Indigo League, which lead to full-out war between the leagues. "Well, that sucks," the boy muttered a weariness that made him feel sixty overtaking him.

"Indeed," Daisy agreed her lips twitching. "I'll tell Grandpa you beat Misty, and are heading to Pewter and whatnot," she told him rubbing her eyes. Ash nodded, then rose. He needed to set out before the Arbok began their day. It was mating season for the snake Pokemon, which meant the males were more confrontational. "And Ash?" she called as he moved to turn off the phone. "Happy birthday," Daisy said with a sweet smile. Ash blinked. _My birthday's December 21st, what the hell is she talki-_ He blinked again as he remembered it was the first of January. With such a warm winter and a trek through the desert, he'd lost track of time.

"Thanks," he said, giving her a brief smile back. The smile faded when he remembered her betrayal. "You told Misty about my nickname!" he snarled.

"Oh Ashy… I told you I'd get you two, didn't I?" She giggled a dark gleam in her gray eyes. "I hope you have fun with Brock!" Daisy said, her smile and tone becoming honeyed.

"You idiot-loving witch-" She turned off the phone.

Xxxxxxx

"Do you think we should do something?" Ash asked, glancing at his partner. Gore looked at him as though he were insane before turning back to the mushrooms King had collected. Ash turned to King, but the crab Pokemon only waved his left claw dismissively.

The trainer flinched when Hellfire was hit by an Energy Ball and rolled into a tree. Willow leaped from a tree with a battle cry and whipped at the stunned dog. The Houndour whimpered before leaping to his feet and taking off again. Unfortunately, even with his head start, the Bulbasaur was only a step behind. Vulpix yipped amusedly from her place in the fire. It had been over three weeks - too much of which had been in a cave for his taste - and she'd lightened on the dog. That didn't mean she liked him.

"Anyway," Ash began clearing his throat. The three older members of his team turned to him, two had rather large mushrooms protruding from their mouths. Lips twitching upward, the trainer brought out his map. "We're about ten miles from Mt. Moon, the largest concentration of Nidos in the world is right here, to the east of the mountain," he continued pointing to a green spot on the map. The team ignored the sounds of Flame Bursts and Seed Bombs exploding. Gore's eyes had narrowed and his nostrils flared at the name alone. King and Vulpix were more reserved, but Ash could tell their battle with the Nidoking was at the front of their minds.

"There shouldn't be too many of 'em near the main trail, but… You two will be with me the entire time." Gore growled, as though he would accept nothing less. Vulpix's golden eyes seemed to dance as they reflected the fire. _She's already trying to prepare a strategy eh?_ "Onix will be a problem too, so Gore, let me know if you feel anything weird. I'll release King right away," Ash said, licking his lips. "Mt. Hideaway and Mt. Moon are part of the same chain," he explained.

The horror in the Piloswine's eyes took the crab and vixen aback. "Last time we were lucky, every so often the giant Onix seem to go somewhere-" his statement was interrupted by the younger members racing through the camp as they continued their battle. Ash didn't bat an eye as he leaned under Willow's leap. "The norm for Onix at Hideaway is more than forty feet long, a big one could be more than sixty," the trainer muttered wincing at the dread growing in their gazes.

He tugged on his hat. There was a legend of a hundred-foot serpent that could thrash his giant subjects into submission with ease. Some claimed the beast had been around in the Great One and the First Tamer's era, that he was the reason Pewter stood unconquered, and the reason their badge was an Onix. If it was true, then that Pokemon was likely the Onix King that many regarded in the same light as the first Aoife herself. Ash exhaled softly. _Karen and Hellfang are amazing, but she was only about twenty when she died._ While Karen was the strongest trainer in the world when she drew breath, it was quickly becoming apparent that Hellfang was not the most powerful Pokemon in the world.

 _Enough of this._ Vulpix nudged him with a tail, then pointed at the brown area next to the mountain. "That's what I thought at first too. There's a river here, you see," he gestured to the blue stream. The promise of water made King's eyes light up. It made Ash regret what he need to say. "Bout thirty years ago, some idiot released a female Palpitoad in the river," he muttered furrowing his brow. Because releasing a Pokemon in a place that it had a massive advantage against the vast majority of the other Pokemon was a brilliant idea. "She evolved and met a Poliwrath, and well... you get it. Because of their water and ground typing the other Pokemon couldn't stand up to her descendants." Vulpix slumped, she didn't need him to explain the rest.

"They're everywhere now, and they've gotten bold." Their typing also meant that whenever Brock tried to take care of them, they were ready for him. "It's the main trail or nothing," Ash finished for the males' benefit. The path they had taken last time sprung to mind, but he dismissed it immediately. _That exit is too close to Mt. Hideaway._ Hellfire came limping into camp with a whine and several lash marks. Willow strode after him with a few small burns and a scratch on her face. Ash motioned them over and reached into the medicinal portion of the bag.

The Houndour gave him a look of betrayal after they were done. "I told you not to mess with the berries," Ash said with a shrug. _Especially, since she can't find as many this time of year._ "Get some sleep," he ordered when his items were packed away. The morning brought rain, which meant there wouldn't be any Golem, Sandslash, or Nidoking hunting. Ash had been determined to make it to the mountain, but he'd rolled his ankle.

Ash rose with the sun and as he had hoped, reached the entrance before noon. Mt. Moon was as daunting as he remembered. _The biggest mountain in the world, I think._ Taking a breath, he gestured for his Pokemon to follow him. An hour into the trail, Gore paused. Ash regarded the stiff Piloswine. Mt. Moon had a musky smell and was chillier than outside . It wasn't that different from any cavern he'd been in he felt a presence of sorts in the mountain.

Ash had felt it the last time he'd passed through, though he had been too anxious to think on it. The feeling wasn't oppressive like the Fog's power, rather it seemed to almost call to him. Finally, Gore snorted and continued down the path with Ash and Vulpix a step behind. His partner felt it too. Every so often the boar would glance at the smooth walls with a look even Ash couldn't decipher. His friend's stride would become jerked as it something unseen were tugging him.

The group was silent as they made their trek. The cavern was deathly quiet. Sometimes they'd hear something that sounded like a growl, the Piloswine's ears would twitch, Vulpix would create balls of flame, and Ash's hand would drift to his belt. Nothing came of any of it though. Still the boy found the hair on the back of his neck standing. There was something watching them, gauging them, and he had a sinking feeling it was waiting for a chance to attack.

When they neared the end of the path, he sighed. "It was nothing, then," Ash said with a relieved smile. Vulpix looked at the light spilling in through the cave's exit as though it was a gift from the heavens. For a fire-type who had just spent several hours in her first cave, it likely was. _Willow and her will have that issue for a long time yet._ Luckily, Hellfire's dark-type attributes had spared him this weakness.

Gore squealed and bolted for the exit as fast as his stubby legs could carry him. "Wait up!" Ash cried, taking off after the boar. Vulpix barked in a chiding manner before darting after them. The trainer's eyes widened when the tiny orange form sped past him. "Vulpix above you!" the trainer yelled. The vixen skidded to a stop and glanced around the trail. Ash laughed and leaped over her. Gore's eyes narrowed when his partner reached him.

"First!" he cried bursting through the exit. Gore trotted out of the cavern with a pout and a whine. "Oh c'mon, if anyone should complain it's Vulpix! I mean I did kinda trick her," Ash said, shrugging at the boar. Then a pink circle slammed into his chest. The Psywave knocked the air from his lungs and sent him flying through the air. Ash grunted as he hit the ground and skidded.

Gore huffed amusedly at him. The boy groaned and clutched his chest. "Traitor!" he moaned. Ash sat up and glared at the Piloswine. The trainer gave Vulpix a weak grin when she trotted up to him. "So, uh, we're cool now?" She sniffed. "Imma take that as a yes," Ash muttered with a grunt as he forced himself back to his feet.

"We'll have to go on a bit if we want a safe place ta camp," the trainer said, glaring at the mountain as though it had offended him. Vulpix gave the mountain a similar look, then strode down the path after him. Ash froze when Gore bellowed. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. The eerie feeling returned. _Is it above, right, left, or behind…_ The Piloswine stomped his front hooves, releasing a Bulldoze strong enough to reach Ash.

The earth beneath Gore developed cracks reminiscent of a spider's web. Vulpix barked and the boar leaped, he skidded a couple feet then rolled back onto his feet. A moment later, a hissing beast of stone exploded from the earth. Ash covered his face as dust and dirt flew at the boy and his fox Pokemon. A thin pink wall materialized in front of the duo, stopping the sand without effort. "Nice," Ash told Vulpix with a grin. Onix bellowed a challenge that Gore returned with a roar. The snake was around thirty feet long and was at least four feet wide.

Ash tugged on the bill of his hat. _Why does it want to fight us? Onix don't eat meat, so what could it want?_ He released his friends. It didn't matter, the ground Pokemon had to go down. Willow quavered at the sight of Onix and Hellfire whined. "Keep moving! And don't let it go underground!" the trainer shouted.

Gore bellowed and shot a wide gust of powdery wind at the serpent. Onix's eyes widened, then its head leaned back, and shooting a flare of green fire. The Icy Wind and Dragonbreath were evenly matched, but in the end, the Onix's lungs were larger. The Piloswine squealed as the force of the attack crashed into him. The swine swayed before slamming a hoof and steadying himself. " _Draconic fire has no heat, Ashy, but the force behind the attack is a real problem," Daisy had coached him before sighing happily when his mother ran a brush through her hair._

King shrieked and shot a spray of bubbles into the beast's back, making it roar in pain. The serpent's cry snapped Willow and Hellfire from their panic. The Bulbasaur squared herself as a green orb began to build in her maw. Ash smirked. So s _he's realized her Energy Ball would be stronger in a forest._ Hellfire barked and shot flare into the stunned snake's back that made it hiss. Onix roared in agony as streams of water and an Energy Ball slammed into it. The ground shook as the five-ton beast slammed into it.

"Did we do it?" Ash muttered after a moment of silence. The serpent's black eyes snapped open. Onix roared with such force that the boy thought he could feel it. Then a large ball of purple flame shot into its maw and down its throat, making it shriek. An Icy Wind crashed over its back, forcing it back onto the ground. Gore snarled and blasted a gust of powdery wind at it until its eyes rolled back. "That was a bit brutal, buddy," Ash said, tugging on the bill of his hat. _Its great size screwed it over this time. Numbers are a huge advantage after all._

"Very impressive!" a girlish voice giggled from behind him. Ash stiffened to the point of pain and spun. A small creature with pink fur, two tiny wings, and no neck waved up at him with a broad smile. "It's been a while!" the purple-eyed Clefable chirped waving a tiny hand.


	21. Chapter 21

I don't own Pokemon. I kinda think the companies want us to repeat this crap because they get off on it.

Episode 21

Just a Chat

Xxxxxx

"She's a babe you see. Oh of Prehnite's seed certainly, but-" King chirped and leaped, swiping at the fairy with a Metal Claw. The Pokemon sighed and extended a tiny arm. A pink glow engulfed the Kingler, leaving him hovering in the air. Gore roared and charged Clefable with his Take Down. The fairy made a grabbing motion with her other arm, and a yellow orb flew from a nearby tree into her hand. Gore skidded to a stop with a gasp.

"I can't believe this," Ash groaned, hiding his face in his hands. The swine squealed gleefully as he devoured the Sitrus berry and the fairy rubbed him under his chin. "The sad thing is, he's the strongest we have," the boy muttered, rubbing his forehead. _At least we know she's not an enemy._ King glared at him from where he was floating. "What? You know it's true!" The Kingler hissed drawing a shrug from the raven-haired trainer.

Willow trotted up to him and quavered. "Let's just see what's gonna come from this?" Ash said with a shrug. Hellfire barked and bared his canine teeth threateningly. _That would be more intimidating if he wasn't hiding behind a tree. Points for getting himself a shield though._

"As I was saying, it's very impressive that you managed to defeat this babe," Clefable began gesturing toward the Onix. Ash's right brow twitched. _She thinks that's a baby?_ The trainer tensed when she waved her hand, but relaxed marginally when King was lowered to the ground. The crab Pokemon glared at Gore as though he had been betrayed. _Not far off._

"Er, thanks," Ash said, hiding his eyes behind his hat. "We'll, uh, be going now, gotta set up camp and have dinner, c'mon Gore," he said inching down the trail. Clefable smiled.

"You could leave, I certainly won't stop you. But I have more berries and some dried meat in my lair if you're interested!" she chirped, then she turned and skipped back to the mountain. The boy winced when Gore and Willow gave thrilled squeals. Ash squawked as two tiny forms slammed into the back of his knees, throwing him onto his back. Hellfire sped after the girls with an excited yap.

King shot him a look of deep empathy. "Hate them all," the boy gasped. The crab Pokemon gurgled.

Xxxxxxx

Ash stared as the Clefable took a sip from her cup. "If you don't blink your eyes will hurt!" she giggled, making her purple eyes twinkle. The boy leaned back in the seat carved from stone. He knew that many Pokemons had human like mannerisms, but he'd never heard of a creature brewing tea. "When you spend months in a forest, a cup of tea can seem the greatest of gifts," Clefable said her hypnotic purple eyes glazing over as though lost in a memory. _Did she have a trainer?_ It would explain why she was comfortable in the presence of a human. Clefable were supposed to be timid Pokemons. The fairy took another sip and sighed blissfully. "You've been drinking naught but water yes? Have some, it's very good!"

"It's nice," the trainer murmured, his eyes darting around the cavern. Like every other part of the mountain, the walls were completely smooth. _Why isn't this better known?_ Surely the world's largest mountain that had several ground Pokemons in it having completely smooth walls had to attract attention. Then again Ash couldn't find much information on Mt. Moon in any book. Now that he thought about it, his grandfather and sister had always been a bit evasive when the mountain came up. _And why don't more people try and climb the mountain? Is it because of Mt. Hideaway's giant Onix? Or maybe the Nidorino and Primeape on the mountain are too fierce?_ It wouldn't be the first mountain people had been frightened off of by territorial beasts.

"Relax," Clefable insisted. "Surely you don't think your little herd-boar would leave you alone if he thought you were in any form of danger? Even if I did heal his wounds, he would be watching me like a Pidgeot if I were a threat." Ash glanced at his Pokemons. All but Willow (who was sleeping on Gore's head) were devouring the mountain of food Clefable had provided with glee. Gore's ears would twitch occasionally, but his body was completely relaxed. Even Vulpix had forgotten her pride in her haste to devour the high quality food. Guilt left a pang in his chest. _They should always eat that way._.. "It's times like these I appreciate actually having meat," she said glancing at his team.

"Why'd you bring us here?" Ash inquired in a polite tone. Well, it was polite by his standards.

"I'm an old Clefable who could never have babes of my own. Must I truly need a reason to long for the presence of others?" She laughed, a pleasant sound reminiscent of a tinkling bell, when he gave her an unimpressed look. "You managed to evolve a boar who has likely not seen his seventh summer yet, and has no exceptional talent - oh a strong willed one and that doubtless played a role in his progress - but he's certainly no Prehnite." Gore gave the fairy a dry glance before grunting at the praise of his will and turning back to the food. "The little Bulbasaur nears her evolution and the young Krabby has become a Kingler as well. This progress is one of the reasons I wished to speak with you," Clefable admitted setting down her cup.

The fairy's praise sent a surge of pride through him as his grandfather's praise often did. _One of them?_ "Thanks," the trainer said, narrowing his eyes. He couldn't see why a Clefable, even one who once had a trainer, would want to give them precious her food during winter. Pokemons like the Rhydon they'd fought were exceptional, but there were plenty of Pokemons like Machoke or Primeape who could steal her food. Why would she take such a risk? "But why do you even care?"

"I care because I'm a touch fond of humans, and would be saddened if your league was obliterated," Clefable replied taking another sip of tea. As he'd expected, she was unmoved by the nearly aggressive tone he'd used. _This is one weird fairy._ Ash drew breath to apologize for his rudeness, only to find his apology to die on his tongue.

"Uh, care to repeat that?" he asked, blinking at the Clefable. Gore and Vulpix's ears moved back to allow them to better hear the conversation. King turned to regard the Fairy Pokemon with a glare.

"I would be saddened if your league were obliterated," Clefable repeated as though she were discussing the weather. "It's always a possibility you see, the balance between your charmingly named league and we six is precarious at the best of times, but I fear even my "Miracle" cannot stop what's coming."

" _The Great Kangaskhan has left Fuchsia."_ His sister's words made him swallow. An entire super herd of Pokemons crossing the ocean seemingly without prompting. The Fog had joined up with Team Rocket and Hellfang had disappeared shortly after the battle. The power the two had thrown around was immense, yet Ash had the sinking feeling their battle had only been their warm-up. _What does this all mean?_ "Why are you telling me this?

"You'[re talented. You have _his_ power cloaking you. And you were touched by the Houndoom and that Gengar brat recently, I sense," Clefable said raising a tiny finger with each point.

Ash frowned. _His power? The Fog said something like that too! Who's he? Is he the one behind all this crap?_ A pendant floated into the fairy's outstretched hand. "Fifty years ago another boy with great potential carried this. A thousand years ago I entrusted it to a girl whose legend has now shaped this world," Clefable murmured rubbing the pendant lovingly. Ash swallowed as a pulse not unlike the Fog's might made itself known. Clefable's purple eyes glowed with a silver and the presence was gone. "Please take this gift," she said, offering the necklace.

The boy reached for it before he knew what he was doing. The pendant held a blue crystal in a circular black case. Ash felt a pull to the jewel and moved to take off its case. To his shock, the case didn't budge. "No amount of force will remove that!" Clefable chirped her eyes shining with mirth. "Now, you have somewhere you must be yes? Best if you go now," she advised, smiling at him warmly.

The fairy hopped off her chair and skipped to a tunnel, that Ash assumed led deeper into the mountain. "Wait! Who are you? Who's he? Why's all this happening?" the trainer demanded snapping out of his admiration for the jewel. She came to a stop and turned back to him.

"I will never understand why humans believe ignorance and peace of mind is preferable to knowledge," Clefable murmured her smile fading. "If your league has not told you, perhaps It is not my place to tell you the little I have already divulged. After all, you're under their protection, not mine. As for my name… I'll tell you another time, I feel you'll be in the thick of things." The fairy smiled before sauntering down the trail.

Vulpix gazed at the fairy's back with near worship. She gestured to the pendant with a paw. Ash smiled weakly and put it around his neck. _Sometimes, I think I'd rather not be in the middle of things…_

Xxxxxx

"Alright, you all know what to do! Give it your all like always!" Ash barked as his team spread out around the training ground. "Remember our next challenge is with Rock and Ground Pokemons!" he added. "King not you!" The Kingler eyed him annoyed and sauntered back to him.

"Today we're gonna work on a new thingy, Slam," Ash announced smothering a yawn. He'd not slept particularly well since their encounter with the mysterious Clefable. When they weren't fighting or talking (he'd talk and they'd do their best to communicate back) or exploring thoughts of the Clefable's warning permeated his mind. Ash'd tried to deny her message, to write her off as a crazy old fairy, but he couldn't (largely because Vulpix wouldn't let him). The Great Kangaskhan moving at the same time Hellfang took off and the Fog joined up with the Rockets? Surely that couldn't be a coincidence.

Lying in a soft bed for the first time in over a month had helped the issue greatly. Ash figured the warmth of the Pewter Pokemon Center would take care of his sleeping problem. It was hard to think too deeply on a fluffy pillow and under a comforter.

 _Should I tell someone?_ He bit his lip. _But what do I tell 'em?_ An old fairy told me we're gonna die didn't sound very convincing even to himself. _And what is this thing?_ The jewel had to be hidden if he didn't want others to stare when he passed. A man with a Graveler he had fought stared at the pendant for the entirety of their conversation. It had been unnerving enough for King to threaten the Ground Pokemon. He was fairly certain he'd seen Vulpix lick it too. Ash was honestly a bit jealous at the blatant display of affection. King rumbled and raised his dominant claw that was glowing with Metal Claw.

 _This could be rough._ "I'm glad you brought it up actually," Ash muttered. "Steel and Rock Pokemons tend to not be cut easy. We'll have to smash 'em if we want to win." Over time Rock and some steel Pokemons took on qualities of a diamond, which meant they had to smash their inclusions if they wanted to do genuine damage. The incredible strength that could rival massive Ground-types and the instinctive ability to find the weaknesses in an opponent's form was why Fighting-types had an advantage over Steel and Rock Pokemons.

"Also, the whole going at others with Metal Claw and Vice Grip when they freak you out thing needs to stop," the trainer said turning to his Pokemon. King narrowed his eyes. "You can't go around killing Pokemons or we'll owe people money." Ash paused. _There may be something wrong with my logic here. A problem for later._ "Worse, you kill a person and you could be killed." A double standard that still made his mother furious. It made him furious too. He had to listen to her complaints. Truthfully, he wouldn't let Gore learn learn Fury Attack or Horn Attack because the boy didn't want to worry about him killing something with a sharper tusk. Sharper tusks with over a ton of pork who didn't seem to realize he was over a ton could never end well.

"Anywaaay to learn Slam you just focus your power on your weapon, and ya know slam it," Ash lectured with a shrug. The crab Pokemon gave his trainer an unimpressed look before moving to one of the training ground's boulders. "What?" King shot him a chiding look. "Don't give me that look! You've never taught anyone to crap!" Ash growled.

King gurgled condescendingly. "Smash the damn boulder!" The crab Pokemon's right claw was quickly consumed by a white glow. King smashed the boulder leaving a small indentation in it. "Yeah, you have to use it on your whole arm to get the full effect," Ash drawled his tone smug. Later he would admit he deserved the Powder Snow to the face.

"This is why dogs are better than crabs! I can always count on Hellfire not to attack me," he muttered with a dramatic sigh. The boy squawked as he ducked under the bubbles shot at him. "W-willow you're next!" Ash cried scrambling away from the Kingler. The saurian glanced at King and her trainer suspiciously before making her way over to them. _Thank the gods! A shield!_ Ash blinked. _Maybe she should be suspicious of me._

"Everyone else is going to be mastering their other moves, but I think you could use something new," Ash began glancing back at King. He nearly sighed in relief when he saw the crab hard at work on his Slam. Willow snorted and shot a Seed Bomb at the boulder in front of them. The trainer twitched as the seed yellow exploded in a yellow burst that sent dust and stone flying. "Yeah, Seed Bomb is a good move, but we need something less... taxing that's good on accuracy," Ash explained waving the dust away.

Seed Bomb was one of the strongest moves the unevolved members of the team had in their arsenal. The only possible exception was Hellfire's Flame Burst. Such a strong move would have taken far longer to master were it not for the her species having evolved to specialize in it. As frightening as it was to consider, bull Venusaur were once considered small. The Bulbasaur line were the first land Pokemons to develop poison and the first species to use powder attacks at all to make up for their poor size. The amount of Sleep Powder necessary to effect a stubborn or a large Pokemon and its poor accuracy made it unwieldy for a bulky Venasaur. The majority of ancient Pokemons had a Rock typing as well, so Poison Powder wasn't always a strong option.

The sheer size of their predators forced ancient grass-types to move away from poison and powder attacks. The Meganium line perfected petal manipulation and mastered Synthesis to a degree that had never been seen. Turtwig and Torterra would combine earth manipulation, their incredible size and mastery over draining moves to survive. The Treecko family were insanely fast, and still possessed the strongest Leaf Blade in the world. The Bulbasaur line developed the very first seed techniques. _Only downside is their Seed draining attacks can't heal them._ Unfortunately, that weakness and their relatively weak poison was why many considered Venasaur to be inferior to Sceptile, Torterra, and Meganium. Ash thought dismissing her kind as lesser for lacking an easy way to heal themselves was nonsense.

 _I wonder if she can learn Ancient Power?_ Of course he knew Ancient Power couldn't truly be learned or taught. It was a rite of passage of a sort for many species. He wasn't sure if Bulbasaur was among them though. Ash knew Piloswine could use either Avalanche or Ancient Power immediately after evolution. The other move being "learned" or perhaps he should say earned, meant they were powerful enough, or just old enough to be seen as capable adults. It should be possible for Willow. Like most of the stronger Grass Pokemon's species, the Bulbasaur line was definitely old enough. Either way, it would be some time before she could use it. The saurian had only turned two a few months back after all.

 _I wonder when Gore'll earn it._ Ash caring for him sped up his development and growth dramatically, but Swinub tended to keep growing until they were about ten, and they'd grow considerably after their evolution. For a species that was considered middle-aged at about a two-hundred, it certainly wasn't a slow development. Even so, the trainer couldn't help but hope his partner would earn Ancient Power as soon as possible _. I wonder how long Mamoswine could live..._ Ash blinked as Willow poked his forehead with a vine. He flushed and turned away from his Piloswine.

"Bullet Seed is really just shooting hardened seeds with grass energy," Ash said clearing his throat. "Like the other one, you can spit it or use your bulb, probably should use the bulb to start with though," the trainer said rubbing his chin. Shooting it out of a Pokemon's maw had to have been easier to aim he'd imagine. "Go on and give it a shot!" he encouraged pointing at the boulder.

Willow warbled and turned back to the boulder. Ash crossed his arms over his chest. They had to prepare. Brock was waiting.

Xxxxxx

"Can you do it?" the boy asked wringing his wrist. The paleontologist turned the tooth in her gloved hands slowly. She lifted it up to the light, then nodded.

"If it can be done it'll take time. I don't think it's likely given its state," the paleontologist murmured to herself. "But even if you can't get a Pokemon out of it, we could sell it or the museum could buy it!" the old woman added quickly when his face fell.

"Thank you, ma'am," Ash muttered sighing. "Sucks eh, guys?" the boy muttered as he strode to the herbivore's exhibit. Hellfire crooned sadly. The dog Pokemon had been looking forward to seeing a prehistoric predator. King would be disappointed too. He wanted to fight it. Ash paused and shook his head lightly. "You fell asleep on my head didn't you?" A slightly louder exhale from Willow was his only reply.

"Well, since she's out of it, I guess we'll just skip to prehistoric predators first," Ash decided patting the large dog's side lightly. Any harder and he'd dislodge the sleeping dinosaur. That wouldn't end well for him or Hellfire. The Houndour whimpered and pulled on his leash lightly. "Easy!" the trainer hissed. _I'll have to take her here before we leave. She'll be pissed if she doesn't get to see the Venasaur._

A tiny monkey with a round body and entirely white fur strode in front of them and puffed its chest out. Ash blinked. _Is... Is that a pink bow on its ear?_ The Mankey beat its (her he hoped) chest with fists that would be brown furred with time. Hellfire stared at his tiny challenger then turned to his trainer with a helpless look. Ash shrugged lightly. Mankey's eyes narrowed when the dog looked away from her. "Choppy!" a man's relieved voice called from behind him.

Ash frowned when Willow shifted on his head. The man looked to be in his early twenties. He had tanned skin, narrow brown eyes, and spiky brown hair. His dark jeans had large dust marks on their knees, and his thick, green vest looked to have dirt on it as well. "See, she's right there," the man said with a soft smile to the small girl by his side.

The tanned girl, who looked to be about seven, with brown hair in pigtails looked at the monkey with large brown eyes filled with tears. Mankey squeaked happily and raced between Hellfire's legs and threw herself into the girl's chest. "Told ya we'd find her!" the man said, patting the giggling child's head. "Now make sure you keep her on her leash and apologize to this trainer."

"I'm sorry," the girl mumbled burying her face in the monkey's white fur.

"Eh, forget about it," Ash told her waving his hand dismissively. He was forced to keep a close hold on Hellfire when they entered the museum itself. The Houndour was innately curious about the world around him. It was fine when it was with the exhibits, as long as he didn't get too close. Pokemons, especially small Pokemons, tended to take what looked like a small Houndoom approaching them poorly. It didn't matter that he was friendly, he was a predator, and a powerful one in the eyes of a young Pokemon.

A tug on his leash and a quiet yip led him to their next display. Hellfire panted happily and sat on his haunches. Ash raised a brow at the exhibit. Three paintings of what must have been predators stood before him. The right painting, which held Hellfire's attention, was of a yellow bird with brilliant white flames on its wings, on its crest, and it appeared as though it's long tail feathers were feathers. The beast's chest was puffed out and its wings were spread as though in challenge. The look of adoration on the dog Pokemon's face reminded him of Vulpix's admiration of Ninetales. _Not quite Hellfang level hero worship_. The black plaque beneath the bird called it the Flames of Courage.

The painting in the middle was of a massive bird with yellow feathers shaped like bolts of lightning. The bird stood tall and proud on what appeared to be a pillar of stone. Three bolts of lightning fell from storm clouds and curved toward Ash, reminding him of an arrow. The great bird's eyes were entirely yellow and narrowed angrily as it glared at the foe beneath it. The plaque beneath it called it the Wrath of Lightning.

The painting to the left was the most beautiful by far. This bird was a light blue with a white chest. Its tail feathers that were colored a blue deeper than the sea were nearly as long as the bird itself. Tiny snowflakes fell from its beautiful wings, looking as though it they fell as the bird soared under a full moon. The bird, the Mercy of Winter, had a magnificent crest made of three large feathers that resembled a crown. "I've never even heard of these," Ash admitted, nearly knocking Willow off his head when he tugged on his hat. A tiny vine slapped his cheek lightly. "Sorry," the boy muttered. _How'd I get trained?_

"Oh, that's in the predator section too," Ash muttered tugging Hellfire away from the phoenix. Piloswine that lived in herds tended to only eat what attacked them though, and this Mamoswine was female according to Blaine. _Probably put her here to look cool next to the Tyrantrum and Aerodactyl._ Everybody seemed to lose their mind when an apex predator was discovered. _Gore definitely eats enough jerky to be considered an apex predator of sorts. Too bad he preys on my wallet._ The dog whined and dug his paws in. "I'll give Gore your food." The dog lowered himself and looked up at him with lowered ears. "You know I'll do it," Ash said, staring into the dog's pitiful brown eyes without flinching.

Hellfire shuffled and glanced at the phoenix before falling in behind. The trainer kept his eyes firmly ahead, unwilling to allow the dog to realize how close he was to giving in. "Gore wanted us to check this out for him," Ash told the dog Pokemon when they came to a stop. Gore hadn't been thrilled when he'd learned he couldn't see the Mamoswine. Ash had to offer to take pictures with his Pokedex to pacify the swine. The Mamoswine was as impressive as he remembered. It was bigger than that Donphan matriarch, he'd wager it weighed nearly as much as an Onix. His heart ached when he thought of the Donphan. If Archer could attack a place of mourning, then there was no telling what depths the man would go to achieve his goals.

Hopefully she submitted quickly. Being a ground-type that wasn't likely. He snorted at the thought of the Rockets getting ahold of Gore. They'd go bankrupt feeding him and he'd sooner impale himself on an Icicle Spear then obey them. He could already visualize how Gore would do it too. He'd eat their food, take as many with him as he could, then kill himself to spite them. Hellfire whimpered and tugged him away from the exhibit. "Okay, buddy," Ash murmured eyeing the fearful dog carefully.

Mamoswine looked to have been a ground or ice Pokemon. The dog's instincts were right to tell him to flee. "Whataya say we go get some food?" Hellfire yipped and he felt Willow shift on his head. Ash's lips twitched. _All Pokemons can get up and go when dinner's calling._

Xxxxx

Something that might've happened when Gore and Ash were young.

Xxxxx

He-who-was-Swinub scarfed down his food with the enthusiasm a proper Pokemon should show. He squealed happily as he found another piece of his favorite meat. "Gore, do you wanna swim?" Ash-brother inquired, making the piglet narrow his eyes suspiciously. The boy was doing the odd expression that bared his teeth to he-who-was-Swinub. _Does he want to battle?_ Great Alpha told the piglet the expression meant Ash-brother was happy, that many young humans made unknowing threats. His eyes, a deep brown as the swine's were, shone with glee as they had since he-who-was-Swinub hatched. "Gore, you okay?" the boy called again, his brow furrowing. The piglet grunted. He - Gore - he was not he-who-was-Swinub he was Gore.

The Arcanine Queen, who had taken to grooming him had explained that, to humans, accepting a name meant accepting them. Gore… It was a good and fitting name for a herd-boar. One day, he would reach heights boar had not seen since the New Age began. His tusks would be dyed red with the blood of the herd's foes... "Gore?" Ash-brother called again his tone worried.

"Wanna swim?" he asked again as he put the food into one of the human's odd contraptions.

"Mhmm," Gore snorted. He couldn't open the damned thing anyway. The piglet boar had spent the better part of his morning failing to do so. He trotted after his brother to the clear liquid that sustained life. He squealed and leaped back at what he saw. There was another boar! _It's in the water! Is it a water boar?_ "Go away!" Gore squealed pawing at the boar pawed at the ground too in a blatant challenge. Fury filled his chest. Ash brother was saying something, but the Swinub was too focused on this new rival.

Gore growled and displayed his chin. The Rival displayed his chin as well. The Swinub narrowed his eyes, what could the other piglet want? Horror filled him. Was the Rival stronger than Gore? The Swinub squealed and stomped his hooves furiously. Gore would kill that boar! He charged the foe with his Tackle.

Gore squeaked as he ran headfirst into the water. The piglet scoured the water he had tackled. He found only mud in the liquid of life. _Did I win?_ He must have, the other boar was gone. Gore squealed happily. He had won his first battle!

Xxxxxxxxx

I might do one from the others childhoods as well. Hellfire's and King's would be rather fun.

Next chapter: Vs. Brock

Coming up with a specialty for each Pokemon is hard. I'm going to try to make a specialty for all three hundred or so of the first and second generations. Hopefully, I'll be able to display every line in at least one fight.

In order to make them, I had to research the creatures they were based on, their diets, personalities, and habitat. In case any of you were curious.

If you have any ideas for specialties, feel free to share.

It's actually convenient that I hate writing training scenes because that's usually where I can mention the team's special characteristics.


	22. Chapter 22

To my anons: It's really funny that you mentioned Fossil Pokemon. I had a similar idea for Aerodactyl's fighting style. Heh, It's pretty much a Macargo's worst nightmare since they're so dependent on their heat and lack speed.

Also, don't sleep on the Omastar line, there's a very good reason why Brock adores fossil Pokemon. Every single one of them is dangerous.

I don't own anything. Sue me if you like, you'll get nothing from me. You might even end up poorer than before.

Episode 22

Yellow-level

Xxxxxxx

Like a great deal of the older buildings in the city the Pewter Gym was carved from stone. The Gym didn't have any notable features. It was oddly smooth for such an old building with only a few cracks in its structure. The only eye catching was the statue of a massive Aggron in front of the Gym. Ash raised a brow. It was the oddest Aggron he'd ever seen. It looked to have gauntlets of a sort on its arms with a long blade that shot backward. Its armored head had a large horn that grew from its nose like a Rhydon's. There was a similar spike on its chin, and two horns that grew from plates on its back. _How the hell did it stab anything?_

"No point standing here gawking," Ash muttered as stode up the stairs.

"Hello sir! Welcome to the Pewter Gym! How may I help you?" a tanned boy with narrow dark eyes and spiky brown hair asked. _It would have been a warmer greeting it you weren't reading a magazine._ "Do you need some brush or debris moved again? I swear that Golem doesn't go a day without a fight," he said setting the magazine down.

"I'm here for Brock's badge," Ash declared, standing at his full height.

"Hey, have you been here before?" the boy inquired narrowing his eyes to the point that they looked to be slits. "I kinda feel like I recognize you."

"Nah," the trainer replied with a shrug.

"Huh, coulda sworn," he muttered. "What's your name?" he asked, pulling out a notebook.

"The name's Ash from Pallet Town," Ash answered running his fingers along the Pokeballs on his belt. He'd prepared for all the Pokemon found near Pewter. Rhyhorn, Geodude Mankey, Machop, Gligar, and even one of the most naturally powerful bird lines in the world, Skarmory. The Pewter Gym was known to use them all, so he'd made sure to study them thoroughly. The only Pokemon he hadn't found a counter for was the Gym's signature Pokemon.

Onix were inarguably among the most powerful species in the world. The Onix they'd met had only been about four, according to the fairy, yet she'd overcome Gore's Icy Wind with an attack that wasn't even her nature. Narrowly, overcame Gore's attack, he'd been forced to add when the team had discussed the potential foe (the boar was as sore a loser as Ash himself). There was a reason nothing tended to mess with wild Onix. _Well, there's also the whole entirely stone thing._ They couldn't really be eaten when they were all stone.

"Follow me," the boy said, gesturing to double doors next to the main desk. Ash gave the boy ten dollars, then followed him. _Only Willow could possibly defeat one of them._ He'd hoped to have her evolve before their challenge, but they couldn't afford to wait when they didn't have a clue when she'd evolve. Still, she was their best bet. Her size, speed, and elemental advantage was their only hope. The tanned Gym member pushed open the double doors that led to the battlefield itself. Ash blinked when the boy began to laugh hysterically.

"Forrest! I thought I told you not to let people in for another half hour today!" the man whom he recognized from the museum snapped. The tanned man wore red lipstick that was smudged to the point that some was on his cheeks. He also had powdered cheeks and held a doll in his right hand and a teacup in his left. Behind the man was a wide-eyed Onix of at least sixty feet long and seven feet wide. The great serpent of stone had what appeared to be a massive amount of lipstick on. Ash gaped at the man, who was undoubtedly Brock, which meant he was among the most powerful trainers in the Indigo League, if not the world.

"Hallo!" Anna chirped waving the hand that didn't hold a teacup. "Wanna play tea party with us? It's really cool! Even Zircon is playing!" The Onix sighed, the action, sending a doll off its chair, looking to have been regretting every decision that had led him to this event.

"H-hey, uh, no thanks," the trainer replied blinking rapidly. He was becoming a bit lightheaded. Forrest squawked drawing Ash's attention. The boy beat against his brother's broad chest as Brock held him in a headlock.

"You can sit with Choppy! She's right out back!" the pig tailed girl offered nearly bouncing in her seat.

"Anna, why don't you go play with Choppy and Zircon in the back?" Brock suggested batting his brother's fists away with ease. The Onix turned to his partner with a look of utter betrayal. The Rock Master averted his gaze. _What the hell does she do to them?_

"Kay!" she chirped sliding out of her chair. She climbed onto the Onix's head, then Zircon slithered to the massive door behind the battlefield. Ash's eyes widened when the Onix bent and pressed his nose on a large green button, opening the massive doors. He raised a brow at the cacophony of calls that greeted the great serpent. _He's either tons of fun or he's already the Alpha here. Wonder if he's from Mt. Hideaway?_ It was the only explanation he could think of for the beast's size.

"Um, can we fight now?" Ash inquired, still in shock.

"Oh, right, yeah, sure," Brock said, releasing his victim, allowing him to stumble away. "It'll be two on two. Forrest here will referee for us."

"Wait a minute!" Forrest called when they moved to the field. Ash's shoulders sagged. _Will I ever get my challenge?_ "You, do you have a Bulbasaur?"

"Ye~ah," Ash drawled turning to the tanned boy. _Gods, is this the guy we hit with the Sleep Powder? I can't afford a damn lawyer… Always figured it'd be Gore that got me sent to prison._

"Then let's fight!" Forrest said, drawing a Pokeball. "A Rookie can't just challenge one of the Eight after all!" he declared with a smirk. Ash suppressed the urge to punch him. Gary had been like that once, before the incident.

"Didn't we do that yesterday?" Brock inquired, raising a brow.

"That was different! I thought I had a shot with her," Forrest ended his statement in a mutter.

 _Isn't that a little bit of special treatment?_ "Okay… never heard of that, but fine, let's do it," Ash said moving to the nearest battle box. A grown Onix was well beyond the team. Rocky on the other hand, was well within his capacity. _As long as we hit it first._

"Alright! This is a battle between Yellow-level Gym Trainer Forrest and our challenger, Ash of Pallet Town!" Brock declared, raising his arms above his head. Ash stiffened. _How did he get rid of the makeup so quick? And how the hell does he know me?_ He growled. _Daisy's taking her revenge seriously._ "Ash, you release first!"

"Right," the challenger muttered. The battlefield was about the size of the other Gym fields he'd visited. It was made entirely of stone and had too many large boulders on it to count. One boulder caught his eye, it was at least two feet taller than the others. _I haven't a clue what the hell's up his sleeves._ He scowled. I _can't afford to lose my shot at because I don't have info. Best to start in a big way._ Gore appeared in a flash of scarlet with a yawn. "We're in the Gym!" Gore blinked at him blearily then shook each stubby leg.

Their opponent was a blue furred bat Pokemon that had a giant mouth and two short legs. The purple fur on the inside of its wings left its species easy to identify. _Golbat again?_ It didn't surprise him to see another member of the Zubat line. The bat Pokemon weren't difficult to raise and were common. Their only real flaw was how fragile Zubat were and their difficulty with adjusting to sunlight.

 _The bad lighting and the field's size gives it an advantage._ "Gore, Bat," Ash muttered tugging on the bill of his hat. _He knows about those things doesn't eh?_ The swine grunted and narrowed his eyes at the Golbat who chittered a challenge.

"Round one, Golbat versus Piloswine Begin!" Brock barked snapping his hands down.

"Supersonic!" Forrest ordered quickly, likely hoping to take advantage of Gore's weakness. Golbat inhaled deeply, only to have a small shard of ice shot into its maw. The bat hacked and coughed, struggling to stay aloft. Gore grunted and blasted a wide gust of powdery wind at the bat Pokemon. Golbat squeaked in alarm and flapped its blue wings frantically creating a gust of wind. Ash smirked as the Icy Wind easily overwhelmed the hastily made Gust. Golbat shrieked and flailed as the attack enveloped it and forced the bat Pokemon to the ground in a nosedive.

Gore roared and charged the downed bat with a strong white hue surrounding him. Golbat blinked blearily after forcing itself up with its wings. The bat squeaked in alarm once it saw the swine and propelled itself off the ground with a strong flap of its wings. The boar snarled and leaped, ramming Golbat in midair and sending it crashing onto the top of a boulder. The poison-type tried to push itself up, then slumped and groaned miserably. "Do you like my "Bat" tactic!" Ash inquired, smiling slyly as Gore rounded toward his foe. _If he'd used Icy Wind while it was falling it would have been game over! He needs more training._

"Up and Swift!" Forrest growled nostrils flaring. Ash narrowed his eyes. _A guided attack?_ Gore snarled and blasted an Icy Wind. Golbat's wing was surrounded by wind as it smacked the boulder, making itself to roll down the boulder's side. The bat swayed when it hit the ground before steadying itself with its wings. Ash flinched when it inhaled deeply.

Gore snapped to the bat too late, Golbat emitted a shriek with a triumphant gleam shining in its dark eyes. "Quick Shard!" The Piloswine snorted, then stiffened and swayed. Gore groaned and fell onto his side.

"Mega-" Forrest's command was interrupted by the swine being consumed by a scarlet light.

"No shame in that loss," Ash muttered to his friend's Pokeball.

"Say Ash, how'd you like my bat?" Forrest asked, grinning.

"I'd like him better if was face down and blacked out," Ash replied reaching for his belt. Piloswine, like many cave dwelling Pokemon, had poor vision. Supersonic interfered with the part of one's ears that affected their ability to walk. It was a Piloswine and Rhydon's worst nightmare. They were heavily dependent on their sensitive ears and hooves, which meant sound based moves were especially effective on them. _If it could affect more than one at a time, and had better range, it would be the most dangerous move in the world._

He primed a Pokeball. Snarl was a solid counter, but he couldn't afford to give away too many of his cards. Snarl was Hellfire's only chance against Brock. _It's all on you!_ "Interesting choice," Brock murmured, his warm brown eyes sharp. _Every move I make is right in front of the guy I'm challenging! Was I off to use Gore?_ Vulpix gave the bat Pokemon a sharp look. This Pokemon had no need for commands. She hadn't forgotten the Golbat from Lavender Town. "Round two! Golbat versus Vulpix, begin!"

"Swift!" Forrest spoke so quickly Ash could barely understand his command. Horror shot through him once he did.

 _I should have warned her!_ "It's a guided attack!" the trainer snapped, panic in his tone. Vulpix snapped her head to him with wide eyes. She remembered herself quickly and rolled away from the golden stars that the bat had fired. Golbat shrieked and the Swift swung around as one at the vixen.

Vulpix squeaked and scrambled away from the attack with Quick Attack. The vixen swerved and curved around the boulders, but the Golbat's focus was unrelenting. "Head to the big one!" Ash cried, pointing at the largest boulder on the field. Vulpix yipped and swerved to the rock at full speed.

The vixen raced up the boulder, then she leaped off the boulder and flipped over the stars. The Swift detonated harmlessly against the stone in a golden flash as Vulpix landed. Golbat's eyes were wide with shock as the vixen blasted a ball of purple fire at it. The bat Pokemon shrieked defiantly and sent a Gust to counter the Embers.

The flame split into three balls and shot around the wind attack, making Golbat and Forrest flinch. Vulpix yipped and the balls slammed into Golbat's right wing, sending it spiraling to the earth.

"Gust again!" the Gym Trainer ordered his narrow eyes widening. The bat made to flap its wings, but Vulpix yipped again and the flames engulfed his burned wing. Ash winced slightly at the horrible shriek Golbat let out and grimaced when the bat hit the ground. _Pokemon want this…_

Vulpix spat another ball of fire, this time, it was the size of her head at the downed bat. The ghostly fire neared the bat, then hit the earth and slithered into a small circle around Golbat. The vixen turned to Ash as the flames began closing in around a keening Golbat. "Don't call her on this one, believe me she'll do it and enjoy it," Ash advised uncurling his fist. Vulpix's golden eyes shone in the poor light and the flames slunk away from the bat slightly.

"In the match of Golbat versus Vulpix, the winner is Vulpix!" Brock declared, lowering his left hand at the fox Pokemon. Forrest scowled, but recalled Golbat. Ash stuck out his tongue, then blinked and put it back into his mouth. Vulpix began preening her paws. _She's taunting him isn't she…_

"This time," Forrest began reaching for his belt and snarling, "You'll face a member of my own team!" He released slug made of lava standing at about two and a half feet tall with a shell made of molten rock on its back. Macargo, the Lava Pokemon the Pokemon that had the hottest body temperature in the world at around twenty-five hundred degrees. It was a dual Rock and Fire Pokemon that were virtually unkillable to its fellow Fire Pokemon, but he couldn't recall why.

"The shell is weak, and it can use Rock moves. It's really slow, get behind it and it's game over," Ash muttered tugging on the bill of his hat. Macargo's hearing wasn't particularly good, so he wasn't worried about it hearing them. _It's not an intellectual, which means we'll hear his every command. Still Gore's odds of beating it are fifty-fifty at best._ He could have sworn he saw the ground sizzle when a drop of magma fell. Vulpix squared herself,

"Round three! Macargo versus Vulpix begin!" Brock cried.

"Clear Smog!" Forrest commanded, and Macargo spat a clear cloud of gas at his Pokemon. Vulpix narrowed her eyes, creating the pink wall of Reflect.

"No! Use Wind!" Ash yelled. The vixen eyed the slow moving attack with trepidation, then she abandoned her wall. Vulpix inhaled deeply before letting loose a bark that created a gust of black wind around her. The Ominous Wind howled as it tore through the Clear Smog and slammed into Macargo, who only just activated Harden. The slug Pokemon flinched and had several drops of lava forced from its face. "Now!" Ash cried receiving a yip as the vixen rushed her foe.

"Flame Burst!" the Gym Trainer barked, his brow furrowed. Macargo moved its head down at such a slow speed that Vulpix had crossed a third of the battlefield by the time it was ready to shoot. The slug spat a flare bigger than Ash's head at the fox Pokemon. Vulpix leaped over the attack with ease only to be greeted by another larger Flame Burst. The trainer flinched when his Pokemon squeaked and was sent flying through the air.

The vixen landed on her head and tumbled back to her trainer. Macargo inhaled and snapped to Vulpix before shooting another burst at the prone vixen. "Roll!" Ash commanded swallowing harshly. Two of the vixen's tails slapped the ground, rolling her out of the Flame Burst's path. The exploding flame kicked up a small cloud of dust that obscured his Pokemon from view. Ash grimaced. _How come it was faster that time?_

Macargo swung its neck at the cloud and a boulder wrenched itself from the ground next to it, before being launched into the cloud. Vulpix burst from the smoke with Quick Attack. The lava slug blasted a flare of bursting flame at her that she avoided by darting behind a long line of boulders. "Use Smog!" Macargo groaned and blasted a cloud of gas at least ten feet wide.

"Vulpix, Wind!" the trainer of Pallet snapped. To his horror, the vixen didn't peek around the wall of stones. _She's afraid of it?_ "Vulpix!" Ash cried, a sinking feeling in his belly. _Have we gotten any stronger at all?_

"Nice, pal," Forrest congratulated giving the slug Pokemon a thumbs up. "Hey, Brock call it!" The Pewter Gym Leader's countenance looked to have been carved from stone. The fiercest gust of Black wind he'd seen since the Fog slammed into the back of Macargo head making it explode. Ash gaped, then breathed a relieved sigh when it began to reform. "Get ready to use Harden!" the Gym Trainer barked.

Vulpix darted out from behind a boulder at Macargo's back with Quick Scratch activated. The vixen leaped and swiped at the back of the slug's neck. Ash gasped as he realized the Scratch enhanced paw was stuck. Vulpix squeaked and tugged frantically when the lava began to suck her in. _That's why it's unkillable!_ "Blast him!" he shouted his face paling.

Macargo's head turned around to face the Vulpix stunning her. Then it opened its mouth and consumed the vixen Pokemon. "Reflect!" Ash cried, hoping to reach his Pokemon before she was smothered.

"Now!" Forrest ordered. Macargo groaned as it activated the white sheen of Harden. Ash's heart stopped. The battle didn't matter anymore. He had to get her out before she suffocated in the slug's body. Then a small pink circle exploded out of Macargo's back, drawing a pained shriek from the slug. Ash cheered when Vulpix's head and front legs shot out of the hole her Psywave created. "Blast her!" Forrest barked as the vixen took several greedy gulps of air.

Macargo glared at the fox and slowly opened its mouth for another Flame Burst. Vulpix hissed and a black orb formed in her mouth, then the orb exploded in a flash of ghostly power. Macargo wailed and stretched its neck away from the vixen. Vulpix's three tails popped out of the slug before being pushed against Macargo's shell and propelling the vixen out of her prison.

 _It's slower after Harden! Now's our only chance!_ "Finish it, full force Wind!" Ash yelled. Vulpix yipped and shut her eyes with her upper body lowered and her lower body raised. She exhaled and a black wind began to swirl around her.

"You too! Flame Burst, full power!" the Gym Trainer cried clenching his fists. Macargo glared at Vulpix and much faster than before, created a flare in his maw. The vixen barked and blasted a gust of howling Ominous Wind. Macargo's eyes widened in alarm. It cocked its head back and fired as the wind neared. Ash flinched as the slug's upper body was obliterated by an explosion and the black wind.

The trainer opened his eyes and found the slug had still not reformed. _The Flame Burst was set off by the wind!_ "In the match of Vulpix versus Macargo, the winner is Vulpix! Both trainers please come to me!" Brock shouted, glancing between Ash's panting Pokemon and the unconscious slug.

"You were great," Ash told his Pokemon with a wink when she wobbled to meet him. The vixen puffed herself up. "You did more than I ever could've hoped for," he whispered after recalling her to her capsule. _And now I know why Macargo are considered invincible to fire Pokemon._ They were considered the second most dangerous type at long range for good reason. A powerful fire-type could easily melt most stone. Unfortunately, other fire-types, and the rock Pokemon who lived in volcanoes couldn't be hurt by heat.

So, battles between fire Pokemon more often than not ended in physical contests. Rapidash had hooves harder than diamond, Charizard had wind manipulation, a passable Slash, and draconic moves, Magmortar combined Teleportation with punches nearly as dangerous as a Primeape's. Macargo, on the other hand, were practically invulnerable to non-elemental attacks, and had earth manipulation.

"You two should be very proud of your Pokemon," Brock began when they both reached him. "Forrest your Macargo was many times more powerful than that Vulpix," he continued giving his brother a look of disappointment that fit a father far better than a brother. The Gym Trainer flinched and looked at his shoes. Ash huffed annoyed, but knew he couldn't refute the Gym Leader's claim. "Your commands were too long, and you relied on power alone. If you placed a boulder behind Macargo, that Vulpix wouldn't have hit her with that second Ominous Wind."

"Ash," the man said making his back stiffen. _Why do I feel like I'm a bug under a magnifying glass?_ "You didn't win because of your commands," Brock stated his narrow dark eyes boring into the boy's brown orbs. "You won because, you, and your Vulpix were prepared for the field," he continued smiling slightly. "But!" he said when Ash sighed, relieved. "Your Piloswine should have beat Golbat, he needs to work on his battle management," Brock finished.

The trainer nodded hesitantly. He didn't like anyone critiquing his team, even though he knew it was meant to help him improve, but he couldn't help the irritation he felt on their behalf. "You up to battling now?" Brock asked, glancing at his belt.

"Yes!" Ash answered immediately. Gore hadn't taken any damage and King hadn't battled at all. His strategy was still possible. _We still have our trump card too._

"Good then! Our match will be two on two. I'll release first and I won't switch. You can switch whenever," Brock told him. He turned to his subdued brother. "Will you be referee?" he inquired his tone still light. Something passed between the brothers then, he knew, a challenge.

"Yes," Forrest replied with a slow nod.

"Excellent, let's get started immediately," the Gym leader said with a wide smile. Ash nodded and tugged on his hat. _This is what I prepared for!_

Xxxxxxxxx

Okay, this obviously not Vs. Brock.

In my defense, it was going to be, but I wasn't sure when I would have a chance to showcase Forrest and his team again.

Kinda hypocritical of Ash to be irritated with someone's cockiness.  
I found out Flying attacks like Air Cutter don't make Pokemon glow. From now on they won't be doing that here...

Did the math based on Dragonite flying around the world in 16 hours, and came up with 500 mph and Pidgeot at Mach 2, is sitting pretty at over 1500 mph. Beaten by a giant pigeon… Magnificent stamina though. I'm going to assume Pidgeot go that fast in bursts.

The Pokedex is incredibly questionable anyway. A Macargo cannot be hotter than the sun. It just can't be.


	23. Chapter 23

So,after over a week longer than usual I've updated! With an average length chapter! Good thing I removed my location from my profile...

I don't own Pokemon. Please support the official release.

Episode 23

Versus Brock

Xxxxxxxx

 _Well, at least I know I'll only have to beat one of 'em. And its average size. Still not very comforting._ Onix watched him as he reached for his belt with sharp eyes. _And it's one of the smarter ground Pokemon. Figures._ "Sorry 'bout this," Ash muttered as he tossed Willow's ball onto the field. _If only Seed Bomb could set off Sleep Powder. Or even regular fire for that matter..._ The Bulbasaur shook her head and stretched her hind legs before regarding her opponent.

Willow stared at Onix for a few moments, then she turned to glare at him. Ash smiled weakly before turning to scour the field. _There has to be something…_ The long line of large rocks Vulpix had used as cover could give them the opportunity to get at its back. No, Brock had already seen that, he'd be prepared for it and make them pay. _One hit is all it takes with this thing._

The weak purple flames Vulpix had left behind caught his eye. Ash narrowed his eyes. _Is that a puddle of lava? That was where Macargo got its head blown off!_ The puddle was directly in front of the line of boulders. The heat from a Macargo's lava dwarfed anything a Magmar could produce. It was the key to this battle, he was certain. _But how the hell can I use it?_ He inhaled sharply. _Of course! But how do I tell her without Onix catching on?_ "The Pewter Gym battle is about to begin! First round, Bulbasaur versus Onix begins now!" Forrest declared clapping his hands.

The serpent roared and swung its massive head at Willow. A boulder wrenched itself from the earth and soared at the tiny saurian who sidestepped it easily. "Blast Powder, and make sure you use plenty of cover," Ash muttered tugging on the bill of his hat. Willow turned to him, confused.

Onix's face stretched in a grin, then it threw its head back and roared. The Bulbasaur snapped her head to the beast with wide eyes. At least twenty chunks of earth were yanked from the earth before stilling in midair. _Shit, this must be its Rock Tomb!_ "Cover now!" Ash yelled, growing pale. Onix lowered its head quickly and the stones shot at Willow.

The saurian squeaked in horror and leaped behind the nearest of the Gym's large rocks. Ash twitched at the cracks and dents three of the stones hitting the boulder created. _It can harden its earth then. Wait a minute…_ Several of the stones were piled up on the Bulbasaur's left. Onix swung its head launching two boulders at the shielded Pokemon. Willow peeked beyond her wall before squeaking and scrambling back to the rock. The boulders fell to the saurian's right and behind her with thuds that dislodged a small cloud of dust.

Onix inhaled deeply, making its massive chest expand further. "Up and over it now!" Ash barked his eyes with horror. Willow stiffened before leaping up onto the rock. "Whip Jump!" he commanded as she reached the top. Onix blasted a stream of green flames as wide as a car at the stunned dinosaur. She flinched, then bent her knees and pushed off the rock with her vines, launching herself into the air. The draconic flames clipped her feet, sending her falling to the earth end over end.

Ash flinched when she landed on her belly and bounced onto her side. "Willow, speak to me!" The saurian's leg twitched and he received a moan that made him sigh in relief. He reached for his belt as she forced herself to her feet. If she took another shot while unprepared she'd die. He froze when he saw the serpent. Onix panted heavily glaring at its tiny opponent. _I see, it gambled everything on that Dragon Breath. This is might be our only shot!_

"Dig!" Brock barked likely realizing the same. Onix bellowed and rose to its full height.

"Drain, now!" Ash yelled at the still shaky legged dinosaur. Willow growled and spat a seed at the snake. Onix slammed its head into the floor, but as it began to tunnel, glowing vines burst from the seed and wrapped around the four-foot long horn on its head. The serpent abandoned the Dig with a roar and began to shake its head vigorously to free itself. _A Seed Bomb could dislodge the Leech Seed, and another seed could send it into a panic._ "Use all your Sleep on the best cover!" he ordered. His Pokemon stiffened before moving to scour the field. Her eyes it up when she saw the dying flames and lava.

"Use a rock," Brock suggested with a smile. Ash narrowed his eyes. _How is he so calm?_ To his shock, Onix stopped flailing immediately once the Gym Leader's soothing timbre reached it.

"Great," he whispered when the saurian finished her task. Willow snorted satisfied with her work and turned back to her opponent. "Now lure it in," Ash said, tensing once the serpent tore the seed off with a small rock. Onix glared before spitting a wide flare of green fire at her. The Bulbasaur narrowed her eyes and bolted at the snake.

"Trap it!" Brock ordered crossing his arms over his chest. Onix thrust its tail into the earth and twisted at an unnatural angle.

"Willow, pull out!" Ash barked, inhaling sharply. The Bulbasaur slammed her front feet down as Gore was prone to when he wanted to stop quickly, but her feet lacked the qualities the boar's hooves possessed that allowed him to grip the earth. Willow shrieked in alarm as she tumbled until she reached a softened portion of the field. The Bulbasaur crooned weakly as she blinked and made to rise. She stood and made to turn, but her feet were stuck.

Ash cursed as the saurian began tugging frantically, and the earth began to sink in a Sand Tomb. _I should have known!_ The Onix line was best known for two elemental techniques. Draconic fire and softening the earth as they tunneled. "Grab onto that rock!" Ash snapped, pointing to a stone about five feet away from the pit.

"Don't use a move," Brock snapped when the panting Onix inhaled deeply. The serpent rumbled and reared back until its neck was curved like a striking Arbok's. Willow squeaked and forced her vines around the rock. She pulled with all her might just before the snake struck. Ash recoiled when a cloud of dust and small stones flew as the snake slammed into the earth. Ash swallowed as it pulled back with a rumble. There was a small hole in the earth shaped like the tip of the serpent's snout. _It did that with one attack?_

His chest burned with fury. _Is he trying to kill her?_ A seed shot into the left side of the serpent's face and exploded in a flash of yellow. Onix recoiled and hissed before searching for Willow, who had found refuge behind a rock. "The rock to your left!" Brock advised. The Bulbasaur shot another Seed Bomb in the beast's face when it turned to her, then she jogged toward the long line of large rocks.

Onix roared furiously and winded after the saurian. Willow squeaked as she realized the beast neared her, and pushed herself into a sprint. "Calm down!" Brock called, but this time the snake's fury made it deaf to the leader's call. Ash narrowed his eyes as the dinosaur neared the long line of stones and extended her vines.

Willow leaped onto the stone with the puddle of lava beneath it. Onix snarled and brought its neck back and angled its horn. "Now!" Ash yelled. The serpent struck and Willow threw herself over the stone with her vines. The force behind the snake's blow dislodged the Sleep Powder and made the stone shake. Willow twisted in midair and shot a small seed high into the air.

Ash watched the seed's descent with bated breath as his Pokemon hid behind the boulders. The Seed Bomb fell into the puddle, and the trainer twitched as the Onix was consumed by the Blast Powder's explosion. Ash winced when Forrest tripped and backpedaled with a shriek. He shrugged. The other boy had agreed to do the job.

Dust and smoke covered the field's in front of the referee's box. Onix had been caught in the worst of the blast. Several of the boulders that made up its body were chipped and had darkened. It had taken the full force of the Blast Powder with all of Willow's Sleep Powder directly. After having been drained by a Mega Drain and Leech Seed combination. Incredibly, the great serpent was still conscious. The beast's chest heaved as it glared into the smoke.

The trainer felt his heart sink as a still form was unobscured. Willow was lying on her right side with a steady drip coming down the side of her face. Her bulb had a few darker patches on it, that he assumed were burn marks. _Blast Powder isn't something we can rely on after all._ Oh, it was certainly powerful, and had gotten them out of more jams than he cared to admit, but it was too unreliable.

He recalled his Bulbasaur. Willow was his second Pokemon, but he didn't know how to help her achieve the power her species could reach. The Bulbasaur line varied more than any other grass species in the world, other than Oddish, in their natures. Seed, petal, leaf, and vine manipulation with some being capable of learning Outrage and String Shot. How was he to know what direction to take her in? She would gain greater control over her poison and powders after evolution, but Venasaur hadn't needed to rely on such techniques to survive in millions of years. Compared to a modern poison or grass Pokemon those abilities were pitiful. Ash clenched his fists. _I'm still so far from there…_

"Why so grim?" Brock called his tone light and teasing. The tanned man recalled his Onix and grinned. "Not many would think of using drops of magma to ignite powder, I'm beyond impressed," he continued reaching for his belt. Something in Brock's grin shifted and Ash stiffened. It wasn't nearly as bloodthirsty an expression as Misty showed in battle, or the elegant fury Erika displayed against Archer, but it made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. _No matter how nice they are or how harmless they might look… Each and every one of them is incredibly dangerous._

"T-the match between Bulbasaur and Onix is a draw!" Forrest declared, breathing heavily. The tanned boy was sweating profusely and his skin looked to have lightened. Ash felt a surge of guilt when he saw the stones his Pokemon's had hid behind. Chunks of rock had been blown off, to the point that one of the stones looked to have been cut in two. Using such a technique in front of the referee's box had been cruel.

"This'll be my second Pokemon!" Brock declared tossing a Pokeball onto the field. A Rhydon appeared in a flash of scarlet light. The beast of stone bellowed, blowing out a small cloud dust. It was average size for its kind, over six feet tall and around twenty-seven hundred pounds heavy.

Ash shut his eyes. _The Rhyhorn line is closely related to the Nido and Aron lines. The Nido line infused their wide moveset with their great speed (for such a large beast) and poison to hunt. Rhydon and Aggron relied on their raw might and earth manipulation to do battle. The differences between the Aron and Rhyhorn lines is slight. The Aron line, who mostly dwell in Hoenn, has no Pokemon in their habitat that are their physical superior, so they tend to learn earth manipulation more slowly. Rhyhorn is significantly less fortunate than their cousins._

 _They are forced to share their habitat with behemoths such as Donphan and Onix, and the predatory Machop line. This stiff competition, and lethal predator, has forced Rhyhorn to learn their earth manipulation swifter than the Nido and Aron lines. Their favored move is Stone Edge._

Ash opened his eyes and reached for his belt. His grandfather had once said, " _Stone Edge is to a Rhydon what Flamethrower and Ice Fang are to Magmar and Piloswine."_ Fortunately, Stone Edge was far more difficult to master than Flamethrower. _Unfortunately, so is Ice Fang._ His Gore had tried mastering the move for the entirety of his third year without any results.

The Piloswine appeared with a determined bellow that sent snow from his snout. The swine squinted at Rhydon, who tensed and regarded him warily. Gore turned to him and huffed, confused. Ash supposed he should have expected this. For all that they were built alike, Rhydon and Nidoking smelled differently and had completely different armor. Rhydon didn't belong in a Piloswine's habitat, Rhyperior perhaps, but certainly not the second stage.

"This guy is a rock and ground Pokemon," Ash muttered. _Ice will slow it down._ He longed to say. Gore grunted and turned back to the stone beast. Young rock Pokemon hated mud in their armor, but an experienced Pokemon wouldn't be bothered by mud in their chinks and their joints. Ash bit his lip. There really was only a single option with this beast.

"Round two! Rhydon versus Piloswine, may the earth favor the rhino, begin!" Forrest cried earning a dry look from the challenger.

"Bird!" Brock snapped.

"Shot!" the challenger countered snapping back to the field. Rhydon punched as a small shard of ice was shot from the Piloswine's maw. The shard and a small stone met, and with a crack like a window shattering, and fell in a stalemate. Ash cursed. That usually only worked once a fight. _A Smack Down for an Ice Shard, eh?_

"Bulldoze!" the Gym Leader commanded, his jaw set and his eyes hard. Rhydon brought a large hoof as high as it could, and brought it down sending vibrations at the swine. Gore bellowed alarmed, then stomped his own front hooves hard, reducing the technique to mild shaking. Rhydon punched rapidly blasting three rocks at into the boar's face. Gore squealed, backpedaling swiftly. Then the young Piloswine dug his back hooves in and inhaled deeply. "Bird!" Brock snapped. The stone beast punched, blasting a tiny stone into Gore's snout immediately drawing blood.

But this time the stubborn swine would not be deterred. He snarled and shot a shrieking gust of powdery wind. Rhydon was already in motion, bending at its knees and reaching to the earth, then the ground Pokemon thrust its arms above its head with a growl. A chunk of stone wrenched free of the earth and stood between the ice and its master. Rhydon grunted and covered what the four-foot shield could not as best it could with its trunk like arms. "Smother it," Brock suggested. Rhydon spat a glob of mud that ran down the front of its shield. Ash's jaw clenched as the mud hardened.

"Gore, shelter now!" the trainer commanded as the Pokemon took a moment to steady their breathing. The swine growled furiously before striding behind a rock taller than he was. "Dammit everything's moving perfectly at his pace," Ash muttered clenching his fists. _We can't even press the advantage if you can barely go in a straight in line!_ Liquid life dripped from his partner's snout steadily. Gore's right eye was already swelling shut, and Ash believed there was a large bruise growing on his forehead. It wasn't that Rhydon was better than his Pokemon. No, in fact, he'd wager Gore was the stronger beast.

 _He gives commands faster than I can even think! How the hell do I respond to him?_ _He even dealt with Avalanche with one move that wasn't even draining for Rhydon_. "Use mud when you have an opening," Ash advised, tugging on the bill of his hat. Gore grunted and shot a small shard of ice into Rhydon's face that it made it flinch.

Rhydon swung its arm wildly as it backpedaled, throwing a stone that soared above Gore's head. Ash's eyes gleamed. _Didn't manage to keep the cold out, eh?_ "Ice him!"

"Leftovers!" Brock ordered, processing his command as swiftly as his partner. Gore blasted an Icy Wind at the armored beast, while the stones Rhydon had used earlier flew to its aid. The boulders landed in front of the Pokemon in a pile. The gust hit the shield and broke with a crack. Rhydon put a dull claw against the rocks and shut its eyes as it reinforced the stones.

"Instinct!" Ash ordered, grinning widely. Gore roared and spat a silver orb. The Ancient Power slammed exploded upon impact, destroying the shield, and bringing the Rhydon to its knees with a frightened shriek. The Piloswine squared himself and shot a stream of mud that hit the rhinoceros' cheek and knocked it onto its back.

"Ancient Power before his eighth birthday?" Brock muttered so quietly that the challenger couldn't make out his words. Rhydon wailed and rolled onto its belly before pushing itself up with its trunk-like arms. Gore squealed and rammed Rhydon with his Take Down, drawing a pained cry and sending the ground Pokemon skidding away from the boar. "Shield yourself again," Brock called as the Piloswine rounded around. The trainer gaped when the beast managed to summon its four-foot shield. _But Icy wind worked on the Onix - of course! Its armor wasn't fully developed yet!_ The Piloswine bellowed triumphantly and fell into a sprint. _Doesn't matter we're ending this!_

"Finish it!" Ash cheered, pumping his fist.

"Doze," the Gym Leader said, sounding as though he were discussing the weather. Rhydon whacked the ground with her arm as Gore neared. The sudden vibrations made the boar squeal, alarmed and lose control of his Take Down. Gore stumbled, then tripped crashing into the boulder forehead first. "Tail! Punch!" Brock snapped making Ash flinch.

Rhydon's tail was surrounded by a silver hue before it smacked the side of Gore's head. The Piloswine bellowed and stumbled away from the tail. The ground Pokemon grunted and swung its glowing fist into the other side of Gore's head. Ash grimaced when his partner stumbled back into the tail's range and received another whack. "Pin it with the boulder!" he yelled his grin returning.

The Piloswine roared furiously and slammed his side into the stone, forcing it onto its master. Rhydon squealed and flailed as Gore leaped onto the boulder. The boar inhaled deeply, and the Rhydon was consumed by a scarlet light. Gore blinked and poked at where the rhinoceros was pinned. "It was recalled," Ash muttered groaning.

"R-round two, victor Piloswine," Forrest declared, staring at the boar Pokemon and gaping.

"Great job, partner!" the challenger said, pulling out his partner's Pokeball out. Gore bared his teeth in what he knew to be a grin. His smile faded when his Pokemon was in his capsule. _He did great… But Brock should have won that match for sure._ Icy Wind was a decent move, but it took time to use it - too much time for the power it possessed. _Rhydon's Smack Down should have put a stop to his ice before it began. He figured out the angle the shield was in would let him get an Iron Tail in immediately! And he predicted what Gore would do once he was hit!_ Gore came through for Ash, and Rhydon let its trainer down. It was that simple.

 _Rhydon are well known for forgetfulness too. It knew what to do, and when to do it because of him._ Ash gazed at the Gym Leader with admiration. _Such coordination with a Pokemon that isn't his own… This is what it means to be a step below the Four._ Ash reached for his belt. There was only one Pokemon left that could stand up to the Gym's Pokemon.

Brock released first. The Pokemon was a bipedal Pokemon that stood at over four feet tall with gray armor on its belly that was in three segments. It had three brown spikes that shot out to the side on both sides, and a long brown tail that reminded him of a knife. Its face was a brown mask shaped like a half moon, it also had two toes on each foot that he knew were used for gripping, but its most astounding feature was its two cream colored scythes. It was a fossil Pokemon known as Kabutops.

Ash felt a chill work its way up his chest. Kabutops was a Rock/Water mix, which meant Gore's ice was worthless. King still had the advantage, of course. His armor was similar to Rock Pokemon in that a cutting attack was more or less were worthless. The Krabby's lines most dangerous physical ability wasn't their pinching power - though that was the most famous. No, their power truly was their "hammer".

King chirped and waved his claw in challenge upon release. Ash popped his knuckles. King was tougher and was much, much, stronger. _And Kabutops can only cut with their scythes. Why am I so nervous?_ "Oho, Kingler eh?" Brock said, stroking his chin with an easy smile. "King!" Ash snapped getting the crab Pokemon to turn to him. "Remember what I told you," he uttered in a solemn tone.

" _Slicing and pinching isn't gonna cut it from here on out," Ash said staring into King's dark eyes. "You've never needed to, because you didn't live around other water-types, or rock-types, but you're gonna have to learn to hammer instead of pinch and cut." Ash was partially bringing this topic up because he didn't want to risk prison time. King cutting a Meowth being the end of his career would be a bummer. King narrowed his eyes and gargled. "Basically, my plan is to hit 'em really, really hard until they stop moving," Ash explained grinning evilly. The crab Pokemon cackled._

King gurgled solemnly and saluted before turning back to his foe. "Round three final match! Kabutops versus Kingler begins now!" Forrest yelled his composure having returned.

"Pulse!"

"Pulse!" King cocked his smaller claw back, while Kabutops brought its scythes in front of its chest. The water-types chirped and shot swirling orbs at one another. King sidestepped the Water Pulse and Kabutops spun around King's move. The Shellfish Pokemon charged the crab Pokemon with scythes in a Slash attack. King hissed, his dark eyes narrowed dangerously, and shot a spray of bubbles at his foe. Kabutops swiped the Bubblebeam away with ease. Then water wreathed the beast and it leaped, propelling itself with the water. _Aqua Jet!_

King only had time to cover himself with his dominant claw before it was upon him. Ash flinched as a long cut appeared behind King's crown. Kabutops came to a stop on a boulder five yards behind the Kingler. King chirped furiously and flipped to the rock Pokemon with murder in his eyes. Kabutops shot forward with Aqua Jet, and rammed the crab Pokemon's claw headfirst, throwing King onto his back.

Kabutops' water fell around it in a puddle as it landed. It stumbled, then leaped, only for a glowing, giant, red claw to wrap around its ankle. Kabutops shrieked and flailed as King swung it up above him. The crab Pokemon hissed and slammed the shellfish into the earth with a crack that made Ash twitch. "Slap, then Shot on its legs!" Brock called just before King swung the shellfish above his head again.

Kabutops spewed a wide spray of mud wildly, that made King flinch and cover his eyes.

"Slam!" Ash ordered as the shellfish inhaled deeply. The Kingler cocked his smaller claw back, but before the sheen of Slam could materialize, a concentrated stream of mud knocked one of his front legs out from under him.

Kabutops flipped and landed on its feet in a crouch. Its scythes were quickly covered in normal-type energy. King chirped and raised his smaller claw to protect his eyes as the shellfish began to rain a slew of Slash attacks on him. Ash flinched, there wasn't any way he could command his Pokemon without leaving his defenses weaker. King hissed and cocked his glowing dominant claw back. "Retreat!" Brock commanded his eyes widening slightly.

The shellfish flinched when it saw the Slam attack and crouched. The crab Pokemon hissed and smashed his right pincer into Kabutops chest, throwing the squealing shellfish through the air. The predator hit the ground several yards away from King and skidded until it hit a small boulder.

King pushed himself up with his massive right claw and glared at their foe. A swirling orb formed in his left claw. "Harden!" Brock snapped. The Water Pulse crashed into Kabutops chest flipping the shellfish over the boulder that Ash now recognized as Rhydon's shield.

The challenger scowled. _It managed to use Harden, I figure._ "King catch your breath!" Ash barked when the crab Pokemon inhaled again. "C'mere," he murmured as the shellfish pushed itself up with Brock's urging. Internally, he marveled at the prehistoric Pokemon's training. The instincts of a Fossil Pokemon were notoriously difficult to curb (and they had to be managed, they couldn't be suppressed) yet Kabutops had managed to follow the Gym Leader's commands without much prompting.

 _Then again, he is a master._ "Put everything into a Pulse next time ya knock it down, understand?" King kept his eyes on the hissing shellfish and gurgled. The right side of Kabutops' rib cage had several cracks in it that reminded him of a windshield, he'd seen hit by a rock. The Water Pulse had produced a similar, smaller, pattern on its chest, he noticed, but the Harden seemed to have mitigated the damage enough for Kabutops to keep going. _He knows we'll aim for his right now, but what else is there to do? I can't out maneuver him-_

"All right, that's enough, I give," Brock announced raising a hand. Forrest fell off his podium, King blinked with a look of incredulity, and Ash gaped. Brock returned the hissing Kabutops and strode through the field, giving King a light pat that made the crab stiffen and glare. Ash frowned. _Still not the most social eh? Guess that's just who he is._

"You were winning! Why give up?" Ash asked, furrowing his brow in confusion. Brock gestured for Forrest to join them before turning to him.

"A Gym battle is about determining whether someone is worthy of competing in the Indigo Conference. Winning, losing, matters little, really," the Gym Leader explained with a shrug. Ash was glad the fossil enthusiast missed the disgusted look King gave him.

" _Just what is a Gym Battle to you?" Ash asked, looking at the Psychic as though she were insane. The idea of not giving everything in a fight against a challenger was absurd._

" _A Gym battle is an opportunity to give inexperienced Pokemon that belong to the Gym a chance to fight in a controlled environment," Sabrina explained as her gray blue eyes took in Vivi's fight with Mr. Fuji's Houndoom. Fight may have been too generous a term. "The Indigo Conference, which is little more than a means of recruitment for my Gym, is of little importance compared to the safety of those under my care," she continued turning to him with an unwavering gaze._ Ash nodded. He could understand their perspective, though he'd likely never agree with it. _King and Gore would turn on me if I suggested they go easy in a duel._

"I'm proud to give you this Boulder badge to commemorate your victory in the Pewter Gym," Brock announced flipping the badge with his thumb. Ash caught it with a grin. _What in the Sky God's great domain does commemorate mean? Eh, doesn't matter, I got the badge._ The Pewter Gym badge resembled a common stone that had the head of an Onix facing to the left. Forrest crossed his arms over his chest and averted his gaze. Ash's grin widened. _Ah, I forgot how much fun it is to mess with pricks!_

"Daisy earned this too, when she'd been journeying about the same time, ya know," the Gym Leader said with a smile. Ash's smile faded and he felt something hot well up in his chest. _Of course she did. I finally get something of my own and..._ "Heh, your sister's a friend of mine, and all but… Between you and me, I think you're stronger than she was then," Brock told him with a wink, his smile becoming sly.

Ash stared, stunned then he smiled faintly, "Thanks." _I guess I have this._

Xxxxxxxxx

I never really looked into it, but Blastoise's name pretty much means explosive tortoise. Which is awesome.

Well, you've seen Sand Tomb now. It's a pretty broken move for low-level Pokemon. And yes, I threw Ash a bone here. I've been beating the hell out of him from the start, so I think he deserves a couple lucky matches.

The more complicated the commands get, the more notes and junk I have to take.


	24. Chapter 24

Sorry about updating so slowly! Job searching ya know?

It'd be nice if this site had a little button where someone can just click Kudos. That is all.

Episode 24

The Three Beasts and A Rematch

Xxxxxxxxxxx

"Rolling Thunder, Water Walker, and the Roaring Fire," Gary murmured, running a hand through his brown hair. His grandfather had sent him a tattered painting of what he called the "Three Beasts", and another painting of the Conqueror's partner Aoife, after he'd inquired about Hellfang's might. He'd said the key to understanding the Fog and Karen's partner was in history. _Does that mean the Black Fog's strength is related to its age?_

It seemed a reasonable deduction, some Pokemon couldn't reach their final stage in the wild until they were over a hundred many died of old age before they were old enough to reach their final stage but it couldn't explain Hellfang. He couldn't imagine any scenario that would prompt Master Bruno to allow his daughter to pick an experienced Pokemon as a partner. Even if he could, Mr. Fuji said Hellfang was hatched in Lavender and had been raised by his own Houndoom, Fang.

The Rolling Thunder was clearly the saber-toothed cat with a tail shaped like a bolt of lightning, and a long mane that reminded him of a storm cloud. The other two beast's forms had been ripped out of the painting, likely by a fight judging by the burn marks around the painting's edges. Duchess butted his leg gently. Gary reached down and scratched the Slowpoke behind her ears, his eyes still intent on his task. His lips quirked into a small smile when Eevee hopped into his lap.

 _Were they fighting over the painting? What's so important about a painting so old it doesn't even have color anymore?_ Gary half expected it to turn to dust if he took it out of its case. _No there's something else._ He twitched at the noise coming from the next room. _I think I may need to speak to Janine about always playing those action movies of hers so loudly… I always get dragged into watching them._ How could he not when he heard it? He was still a fourteen-year old. _Ash is just as bad…_ He wondered for a moment, whether he was so comfortable in the kunoichi's presence because of the traits she shared with his brother _. Doubtful._

Gary shook his head and rubbed at his red eyes. He needed to figure this out. He lifted the copy of the "History of Champions" his grandfather had sent with the paintings for what seemed the hundredth time. The book was written just after Karen's death, yet he found the description of Hellfang to be lacking. The blast that Ash had claimed had been effortless was beyond Acaya, who had been trained by Arcia herself, and ruled over a significant portion of the corral. Yet, the text almost seemed to write him as merely exceptional by Champion standards. Tiny the Primeape and Agatha's Gengar were exceptional. Hellfang was a god of flame and darkness made flesh.

The Fog's strength should have been known by all as well. Her fight with Dreyfus's Charizard, Silver, was described rather blandly. According to Mr. Fuji, the fight had devastated the land to such a degree that nothing grew there for thirty years. A possible exaggeration, as he expected the Titan's fight with Lyra's Aoife was, still the account of the Mayor that had lived at the time reported nothing having grown there for ten years.

The History of Champions ignored this.

Gary slammed the book shut, making Eevee flinch. He relaxed his scowl and patted the vixen until she settled down in his lap again. _It's a conspiracy… The League is trying to hide the power these Pokemon possess! But why? Why shouldn't the public be told of these things?_ Anger welled up in his chest. _We have the right to know if Pokemon like this exist! Entire cities could be wiped out and people have no clue!_ Then Gary understood.

Erika was one of the strongest trainers the Indigo League had to offer, and the Fog defeated three members of her team - with two members of Sabrina's team backing them up! - decisively. If the public knew one of its champions could be handed such a defeat by a single Pokemon, there would probably be mass hysteria. A Pokemon Master was an army in their own right.

Each member of their team was beyond the power of all but the strongest wild "kings". These stronger kings that went on to take significant territory, and had the most children, were often prodigious or were born abnormally large. Or in Hellfang and Pins' case, they were both. A master raised Pokemon of average talent to that plateau. Tiny, Glace, and Talc were the most powerful members of their species in the world, no contest. Bloom could very well be the strongest Meganium alive. As far as he knew, not one of them were exceptionally talented. Gary ran his fingers along the Pokeball on his necklace when he remembered the one time he'd seen Wave truly furious. The nightmares from that were worse than those he'd had of the Fog.

 _But what makes them so abnormally strong?_ How could Hellfang and the Fog be so far beyond the strongest Primeape in the League's recorded history? Was it possible they had evolved further than other Pokemon? He ran his hands through his hair. It seemed he hadn't come any closer to the answers he sought.

A chill worked its way up his spine. Lyra was regarded as the strongest trainer in recorded history (even Sinnoh and Hoenn acknowledged this). Hellfang soundly defeated a few members of Master Ace's team, while holding back. Aoife, and perhaps even the Conqueror's Meganium, were superior to the great dog.

Dreyfus and Brandon Blackthorn, and one other Champion his grandfather had been about to name until they learned Gore and Ash had picked a fight with Aria's mother, were all viewed by the League as superior to Karen as well. Champion Flora could have been comparable, according to the more accurate "Adventures of Champions" that was written fifty years ago. _That means... There are definitely stronger Pokemon than Hellfang-_

A boom like thunder sounded and Gary jumped, throwing Eevee out of his lap with a squeal, and making Duchess' eyes shift to a light pink.

"Hey Gary, we're watchin' Lucario and the Crystal Flower!" Janine chirped poking her head into the doorway.

"No thanks." Gary would not be dragged away from another night of research. He had to find the answers to these questions. His will was iron. He would not be deterred no matter what came his way-

"It has Brycen White in it!" she added before darting away soundlessly.

Gary froze. "Well, I mean, it's not like it's going anywhere," he mumbled clearing his throat. The trainer ignored the chiding look the Slowpoke sent him as he ran after the dark-haired girl.

Xxxxx

"Come on! You can't still be mad!" Ash cried, running his hands through his hair. King continued to glare at him. Ash turned to Willow for support. The Bulbasaur looked between the two of them uncertainly before climbing onto Gore's back and curling up. The Piloswine was more interested in gnawing on his hoof than his partner's predicament. The trainer pinched the bridge of his nose. _I get no damn support…_

King stared at him expectantly. "Look, Brock explained what the deal was! We got the badge because we were worthy in his eyes," Ash said, taking a deep breath to calm his temper. Apparently, Brock would have gone a bit easier had Daisy not told him to take them seriously, but only a little. Crushing Rookies was bad for their business apparently. "The Gym Challenge is up to the Gym Leader to come up with right?" The Kingler lowered his eyes to the ground. "If it wasn't okay, Gore would have a problem too right?" Ash asked, glancing at the boar. He scowled when he saw the Piloswine's ears pushed back. _That_ _good for nothing ham is ignoring me isn't he?_ Willow was following his example.

 _He's a re~ally bad influence on her…_ "King," he continued getting the crab to look at him again. "In the Indigo League it'll be a straight duel, until the ref calls it. That's the main show! This is just the beginning right?" The Kingler stared at him for a long moment, long enough for him to wonder if his message had even been heard, before rumbling and saluting. Ash smirked and turned to the Pewter city walls. He flushed when he realized the guards had likely heard everything. "Welp, moving along now," he muttered, directing Gore by tugging on a floppy, brown ear.

He took a moment to admire the strongest city walls in the entire world. Over ten thousand years of specialization in rock-types had created this. It could survive a Gyarados blasting it with a Hyper Beam, an attack that could kill Gore or even melt King's armor, with only one hit. The constant reinforcement from Pokemon meant it couldn't just be broken apart by earth Pokemon. Its greatest attribute was, without question, its ability to repair itself. It was something that stumped all professors. Some theorized the land around Pewter was now so enriched with the power of the earth Pokemon that this phenomenon occurred as a result. Ash thought this was complete nonsense. One of the few things he had ever agreed with Gary on.

Gore snorted and placed a hoof against the Wall That Had Never Fallen. The reverence in the boar's brown eyes - eyes akin to the very earth beneath his feet - shone in its intensity. Willow tilted her head to the side and extended a vine to the wall. She blinked and glanced down at Gore confused.

King chirped irritably, making the boar blink and turn to the crab. The Kingler gestured at the route with his dominant claw. Gore chuffed and turned back to place a hoof on the wall. King's eyes narrowed dangerously. "He's right, we'll probably be back sometime, buddy," Ash cut in his voice raised slightly. King lowered his claws, but maintained his glare. Gore huffed before trotting to his side. Ash twitched when he noticed the goading look the boar sent King. He grabbed Gore by his ear and released Hellfire.

Hellfire yipped and licked at his hand upon release. Ash grinned and rubbed the dog behind his ears roughly (he'd learned the hard way that patting him on his back was painful). Gore panted happily and butted the dark Pokemon. Hellfire stumbled before steadying himself and nudging the boar back. King exhaled heavily, giving the two an exasperated look. "C'mon, you all!" Ash called sauntering down the trail.

His Piloswine and Kingler were quick-tempered and proud, he had learned that the hard way. The easiest way to smooth over tension was to distract Gore. Ground Pokemon, and to a lesser extent water Pokemon, were notorious for their grudges. A few of them would even make it past two-hundred naturally once fully evolved, and they tended not to forget slights. Ash couldn't, and wouldn't, risk his Pokemon hating each other to the point that their enmity lasted centuries.

There was a solid chance Vulpix and King would end up that way. Ash decided to cross that bridge when he came to it.

Xxxxxxxxx

Trekking through Viridian Forest had to have been worse than fighting a Machamp in a solely physical contest, Ash was certain. The route they'd traveled on seemed to have more trees on it than any forest should have in it. Somehow or another Ash ended up being roped into helping a couple Green-level Rangers clear the results of a Bellossom's disagreement with a Vileplume. One of the few times where having such a large Houndour, a Kingler, and a Piloswine was inconvenient. Willow diving into the mess to get at the berries underneath had certainly not helped his cause.

Ash tugged on his hat. _We've already been in here for two months longer than the first time. At this rate, I'll have gray hairs before we get out of this god forsaken forest._ A long, green appendage poked his forehead. Ash blinked. Willow climbed down onto his shoulder and pointed at Gore's Pokeball. Vulpix's ears shot up as a hopeful gleam appeared in her golden eyes "We've been over this, guys, he can't come out," the trainer said, sighing and wiping his sweat drenched bangs out of his eyes.

Vulpix hissed before turning back to the trail with her ears flattened against her head. _I get the feeling she just misses him cuz he lets her ride on his back._ Willow crooned sadly, then crawled back onto his head. They hadn't walked ten paces before Vulpix and Hellfire stiffened, crouching and raising their ears. Ash froze as he felt Willow's form become tight with tension. His right hand drifted to Gore's ball instinctively, then he remembered his partner's condition and shifted to King's capsule.

A boyish scream pierced his ears, prompting him to prime King's orb. "Don't use fire," he muttered as he gave Hellfire a light pat on the shoulder. The dog growled, his brown eyes gleaming predatorily, before shooting into the forest at a speed no man could match. Vulpix gave him a dry look, then shot after the dog. The trainer strode after them - careful to avoid stepping on anything that would make noise - in a near jog. "If you hear anything, anything at all, blast it with Bullet Seed," Ash muttered creeping under a low tree branch. Willow crooned her understanding.

Hellfire howled, telling Ash that he'd found his target and prompting him to shift into a sprint. He hooked around a cluster of bushes, then winced when he was popped by a vine. "This way?" the raven-haired trainer demanded rubbing his stinging cheek. The saurian warbled and patted his cheek lightly. Ash heard another bark from his Houndour, this time far closer, a Snarl being shot, and something hissing.

Willow tensed, then she began to sniff insistently. Ash rounded a cedar tree and stepped into the largest clearing he'd see in the great sea of trees that was Viridian Forest. Across the clearing was an adult Pinsir that had its pincers lowered in a clear threat. The brown bug stood at about four feet, and had two one-foot long gray pincers that were spiked like the thorns of a rose's stem.

 _Pinsir._ He clenched his fists when images of King broken beneath a tree flashed before his mind's eye. The bug was standing before a creature with a type advantage on it, yet its black eyes continually darted to the far side of the clearing. Its odd behavior gave him pause and cooled his temper. A small, black-haired boy was hiding behind a snarling Hellfire's bulk. There was blood dripping from the three claw marks on his shirt.

The boy Hellfire had decided to protect was panting heavily and clutching a tiny Pokemon to his chest. The Pokemon was familiar, but the fact that there were no other creatures in the dusty clearing stole his focus. Hardly unusual, normal creatures instinctively knew to flee when Pokemon were angered. That didn't startle him, the fact that there were no bugs crawling along the ground however did. He checked the sparse trees in the clearing. There weren't any insects to be found. No anthills, no small holes that would indicate centipedes dwelled, nor were there prints outside of the combatants. _Why does that make me nervous?_

"Give me the Pokemon and you can go kid!" a man demanded, sounding deeply irritated with the boy. Ash glanced to his left to see a man leaning against a tree several yards behind Pinsir. The man wore segmented black armor that, in Ash's mind, belonged in a museum. The helmet he wore made him stiffen till he was pained. The black helmet was one that had once been commonly worn by samurai. He knew this man, if he could be called a man.

"No!" the boy shouted clutching the tiny creature even tighter.

"It is the duty of the strong to defend the young and the weak." Dreyfus's words, words that he'd based his entire life on, that the regions he'd ruled had heeded for over a century. Decision made he rolled King's Pokeball between the Pinsir and Hellfire. Pinsir regarded the Houndour with disappointment, as its three fingered claw balled into a fist. King caught the bug's blow with his left claw, halting its charge with ease.

Pinsir's dark eyes lit up with recognition before narrowing dangerously. Then the bug's eyes widened in shock when King cocked his glowing dominant arm back. He chirped and slammed his hammer into the bug's chest, sending him tumbling away. "Wha-?" Samurai cried, pushing off the tree. "W-who the hell did that?" he sputtered snarling in an attempt to look fierce. Pinsir pushed itself up and hissed, displaying its claws and chest. King responded in kind, raising his giant claw over his head and hissing. The crab Pokemon's claws and arms were shaking with the force of his anger. He hadn't forgotten the humiliation and pain the Pinsir had dealt him. Ash doubted he ever would forget.

"I did!" he snarled. Willow hopped off his head as he strode to stand behind Hellfire. A beat later Vulpix trotted in front of him. The vixen had a Pokeball in her mouth and was holding a berry between two of her tails. Ash's eye twitched. _Did she really have to get the berry too?_ Willow glanced between the Pinsir and the berry. Vulpix hissed, the fur raising on the back of her neck, and brought the berry closer to herself. _I swear to god all my Pokemon are freaking lunatics._

"That Houndour's yours too, eh? Who the hell are you to be getting involved in an official battle between trainers!" Samurai demanded puffing his chest out in a manner reminiscent of a Nidoran calf hoping to impress a female. It didn't impress the tiny cow Nidoran, and it didn't intimidate Ash in the slightest. A ladybug Pokemon with four arms that ended in white fists landed next to the oddly dressed man. It stood at around four and a half feet. The mature height for the Ledian family.

Ash watched the man's team carefully. Pokemon always attacked other Pokemon first. Regular creatures, humans included, always came after even the youngest Pokemon when it came to combat. He wouldn't put it past Samurai to have trained his team to attack trainers first. Ash wouldn't be having a repeat of the Meowth taking him hostage. He would not be giving Gary even more blackmail material on him. _It's bad enough he knows about me and Gore sneaking out…_

"Please, the brat's no more a trainer than you are a man!" Ash declared his condescending smile widening when Samurai reddened. "Kid, where are your parents?" the trainer asked tugging on the bill of his hat. The boy blinked, still looking dazed. _How much blood has he lost?_ "Where. Are. Your. Parents!" Ash ground out.

"In- in Viridian?" the boy mumbled his big, dark, blue eyes uncertain.

"Just stay behind me," Ash sighed, giving the boy an exasperated look.

 _Nothing else up his sleeve? Good, we can focus on just these two._ Samurai released a massive butterfly that had a light purple body, and large blue feet. Its stubby arms were harmless, but the powders it shot from its wings was incredibly dangerous. _Master Kurt would probably be pissed to learn about a bug being used this way._ Willow shifted nervously at the release of yet another mature bug Pokemon. "I'll give you one last chance to back down," Samurai said, crossing his arms over his chest. _God, he actually thinks he's intimidating doesn't he?_ "Just give me the brat's Pokemon."

Hellfire bared his teeth. With his massive canines displayed, the black fur on his neck raised, and his brown eyes blazing, Ash could see the Houndour as an agent of death itself. _What's gotten into you?_ "I think you've got our answer," he responded smirking. "Vulpix take the brat, don't support unless it's necessary." The vixen sniffed haughtily at the boy before gesturing for him to follow her with her free tail. _Having Gore set up a shield would be better, but-_

A pink beam flew over his shoulder, and Vulpix yelped pained. Willow and Ash snapped to her then another beam hit the saurian's back, sending her rolling into a tree. "He's not going anywhere!" Samurai snapped. Pinsir and Ledian charged as one with glowing fists.

"Hellfire, Snarl!" Ash barked. The dog stiffened and glanced back at him before barking and shooting a black wave of energy into Ledian's chest. The ladybug was sent flying backward end over end in the air. Pinsir eyes widened in alarm, before then it ducked beneath its squeaking comrade. King's eyes shone with a vengeful gleam as he leaped and hammered the bug Pokemon's face with Slam. The Houndour howled before taking off after the Ledian.

Pinsir screeched as it was sent soaring into a tree with a crack. King brought his dominant claw in front of him. A swirling orb of water quickly grew in the pincer. Pinsir spat silk that hit one of the crab Pokemon's legs. King hissed and abandoned his Water Pulse to deal with the String Shot. The beetle grabbed the silk and yanked, making King buckle with a shriek.

Pinsir lowered its head and charged. The Kingler snipped the String Shot before shooting a Water Gun that the Pinsir swatted away with Slash. "Foam," Ash snapped narrowing his eyes. King inhaled deeply, and when Pinsir neared, fired a spray of forceful bubbles at the bug's stubby legs. The beetle shrieked, and flailed as it fell face first into the earth. King brought a Slam enhanced claw above his head.

Pinsir rolled away from the blow, and smashed the Kingler between his eyes with a Mega Punch. King shrieked and backpedaled blinking rapidly. "Slash it!" Samurai cried, pointing at King. Before Pinsir could swipe at King, he was consumed by the white sheen of Harden. The bug swiped, and tiny chips of red armor flew. Then Pinsir was slammed in the torso by the Kingler's hammer, sending it flying away until it hit the ground and skidded.

"Don't bother with Water Gun!" Ash commanded turning to observe the other battles. He couldn't afford to see this fight to completion. Hellfire was nowhere to be seen, only the sounds of his barks and his Snarls being fired assured him that his Pokemon was still fighting. The brat was hiding behind a tree with a look of wonder in his wide eyes.

Willow and Vulpix were pushing Butterfree back. Glowing seeds and tiny Psywaves kept the butterfly on the run. Blast Powder would finish it, but Ash had forbidden the attack after the Pewter Gym challenge. They'd been lucky it hadn't backfired. Ash refused to rely on luck in battle. Willow blasted the largest Energy ball she'd ever created at the butterfly. Butterfree flew under the green orb and into a pink circle.

The butterfly squealed in pain as it was sent spiraling into the earth in a nosedive. Willow sprinted forward in the white hue of Tackle before leaping and ramming the flying-type, sending Butterfree flying through the air. Vulpix yipped and a howling black wind smashed the bug Pokemon into a tree. Willow landed, then her vines quickly shot out like cracking whips and slapped the butterfly. Vulpix surged with Quick Attack, then spun smacking the Butterfree with black tails. Ash grinned when it didn't even try to rise only groaning weakly.

Earning her fourth tail had given her the power of Feint Attack. A dark-type physical enhancement move that granted the petite vixen enough power to hurt close ranged specialists. _Shame she tried practicing it on King._ She would have used it on Gore, but that would mean she'd have to actually walk more than Ash made her. "You idiot! Smash that baby crab already!" Samurai cried, drawing his attention.

Pinsir's dull gray armor had several darkening marks, that Ash assumed was the bug equivalent of a bruise. King wasn't much better off, he had several small slash marks and cracks in his armor. _Oh? Did the idiot figure out cutting attacks won't work on him?_ Both Pokemon were breathing heavily and eyeing their foe warily.

"Didn't you hear me? Smash that brat, Karate Chop, Mega Punch anything!" Samurai screamed, spittle shooting from his mouth and his face becoming red. Pinsir huffed, gave its trainer an angry look, before it charged the crab Pokemon.

 _Does he even know Ledian's out?_ "Try an Ice!" Ash commanded. King froze and glanced back at him confused. _Shit, did I forget to teach him that one?_ Pinsir leaped, grabbed King by his dominant, and flipped, throwing the crab into the air. "Wha-" The bug Pokemon shot silk that latched onto King's left claw. Pinsir grabbed the String Shot in both hands, and screeched before slinging the Kingler into a tree trunk.

Ash grimaced at the crack of the tree's bark and King's pained cry. Yellow energy began to grow in Pinsir's maw at a steady rate. A green orb crashed into the side of Pinsir's face, making the Signal Beam shoot into a tree, and explode. The Signal Beam had blasted a few inches through the thick tree, and left a scorch mark.

Willow squeaked as the bug turned to her with a furious click. The beetle lowered its head, then a black form leaped onto the bug's back, knocking it onto its belly. Hellfire snarled before savaging the highest part of the bug Pokemon's neck. "Armor!" Ash roared, recognizing the feral gleam in his friend's brown eyes.

Pinsir yanked the black dog by his nape and threw Hellfire. The dog yelped as he rolled several feet until Willow's vines stilled him. Ash was kneeling beside the dog Pokemon before he was even aware of moved. He grimaced at the wet fur beneath his palm, a sick feeling developing in his belly. _If it had been a few inches lower… This would be game over for him._ Willow trotted up to him with a look of worry.

"I-is he going to be okay?" the brat asked, peeking out from behind his tree. The trainer nearly started. _I didn't realize we were so close!_

"He'll be fine," Ash muttered, reaching into his pocket. He turned to face him. "Find a better hiding place and shut up!" The boy flinched, then stared at him with wide eyes. _Damn it, he's slow and helpless. How can we fight this guy if fire isn't on the table, and we have to watch out for this kid?_

Vulpix yelped, making him snap to the fight. Ash squawked as the vixen flew into his chest and threw him onto his back knocking the air out of his lungs. He coughed and hacked desperate to breathe. _Why does this crap always happen to me?_ Willow butted his shoulder and warbled. Ash pushed himself up, then his eyes widened. The trainer threw Vulpix out of his lap and rolled over Hellfire. Pinsir shrieked furiously as it fired its Signal Beam.

Ash flinched as the blast exploded with a bang. The child gasped, prompting the trainer to peek back. King stood in front of him with his dominant claw raised in front of him, which was reinforced by his left claw, and had smoke seemingly emanating from it. _It's almost like a shield?_ Ash pushed himself to his feet while taking care to avoid hurting Hellfire further. Willow glared at him.

"I figured you would, uh, dodge," Ash offered, swallowing. The child he was saving (rather heroically if he did say so himself) glared at him too. _I'll need to get her more berries to make up for that one._ "You good?" he asked, patting the crab lightly. Hellfire grunted in pain before rolling over and trotting in front of him. The dog shook his head vigorously and let out a startled yelp. "Easy buddy, play support on this one and stay by me." Vulpix had crept away, likely aiming to land a hit when the bug was concentrated on the boys, he realized.

Pinsir clenched its horns, creating a sound akin to two sticks slamming against each other. The bug Pokemon bent its stubby legs, making Ash and King tense in preparation. "Wait a minute," Samurai interrupted tossing a Pokeball that landed next to Pinsir. The fur on the back of Hellfire's neck rose a heartbeat later, and his pupils dilated.

"Growlithe, eh?" Ash muttered, narrowing his eyes as Ledian floated next to Samurai. Growlithe was a dog Pokemon with orange fur that had black stripes going across its back, a creamy underbelly, and a similarly colored tail. It had two visible claws that were designed to help the dog pull apart a corpse. The creamy tuft on its head would become a majestic mane once it was an experienced Arcanine. He placed a calming hand on his Houndour's head. The dog breeds lived in similar habitats, interbred at times, and competed brutally for the best game and watering holes. _So much for playing support on this one…_ "No fire," he murmured, stroking the dog behind his ears.

"You did good," the oddly dressed man, who Ash was beginning to suspect would look rather handsome in a prison uniform, said recalling his Ledian with a smile. Samurai whistled. "You go too!" he cried with unnecessary drama as a tiny Pinsir sauntered onto the field. Including its horns, the bug Pokemon stood at about a half of the adult's height.

Pinsir clicked uncertainly as it glanced between Growlithe, Hellfire, and the trees to their far right. "Just take 'em out quick and it won't be a problem!" Samurai assured his Pokemon with a smile. Samurai turned to Ash and the smile darkened. "This time, I'll be taking the Bulbasaur, without that Swinub you're nothing special!" Ash narrowed his eyes. This idiot would not be stealing his Bulbasaur. _Wait a minute, why the hell would he be scared of Gore?_ His eyes widened. _Of course, his breath getting colder! That's why he didn't take her the first time. He didn't want to risk pushing Gore into evolving?_

Willow quavered. "Don't worry, we'll win," Ash promised, tugging on the bill of his hat. "No fire." Hellfire's body tensing further was the only indication he received that the dog heard him.

"Incinerate! Signal Beam, both of you!" Samurai cried.

"Guns, on the bugs!" Ash countered. Both Pinsir cried out in alarm when a Water Gun drilled into both of them, which threw the little Pinsir onto its back. King jetted a spray of bubbles that knocked the adult onto his back before giving a battle cry and charging his foe. Growlithe barked a battle cry and spat a stream of flame at Willow. Hellfire leaped in front of the Incinerate and braced himself with his head lowered. The dark dog gritted his teeth as the force of the flames slammed into him.

Ash grinned as he watched Willow grip Hellfire's bone armor with her vines and propel herself over the dog. She spat two Bullet Seeds at Growlithe, who was intent on overwhelming his natural rival. The striped dog yelped, abandoning it Incinerate, and backpedaled. Growlithe snapped to the airborne saurian with a furious growl and shot an orb of flame at her. Vines shot from the dinosaur and shoved against the ground, throwing Willow out of the way of the flame. The orb exploded, making the Bulbasaur flinch after she landed. The tiny Pinsir shot into her side with such force that she was thrown through the air. Ash's grin fell into a scowl. They'd only needed a few more seconds to defeat Growlithe.

Hellfire huffed a dazed look in his eyes, then he shook himself and glared at Growlithe. The Houndour barked releasing a black wave that barreled into his foe, and sent it tumbling. "Make it physical!" the trainer advised, receiving an enthused howl in reply. Ash turned to King. Again, it seemed Samurai was focusing only on his partner's battle.

Pinsir and King stood about ten feet apart, eyeing one another carefully. There were more cuts along Pinsir's form than before, he noticed with a grin. It faded somewhat when he found a few portions of King's armor that had been smashed in.

"Signal Beam!" he cried. Pinsir clicked and leaped further away from King.

 _Again?_ "Guns!" Ash commanded when the Signal Beam began to take shape. King shot three streams at Pinsir that made it squawk. _It isn't enough to piece its exoskeleton! As I figured, more Water Guns means way less power than just one. Then it'd best be -_ "Pulse!" King clicked and cocked his right arm back. As the crab Pokemon swung his claw and Water Pulse forward, Pinsir shot a String Shot that latched onto the claw.

The bug yanked its silk forcing the Kingler to inch toward it. King's left claw shone with Metal Claw as he shoved it into the ground.

"Yeah! Yank him in and smash him!" Samurai cheered pumping a fist.

"Let go, King," the trainer said quietly, narrowing his eyes. King looked at him as though Ash had lost all sense. "Trust me!" The Kingler glanced between the murderous bug and his trainer, then he let go. Pinsir's eyes widened in alarm just before the giant crab flew into it, and threw it off its feet. Pinsir squawked, hit the ground, and rolled. King skidded until he was nearly atop the bug, before his slammed his dominant claw into the earth.

"Get up! He's right next to you!" Samurai shouted. Ash gritted his teeth resisting the urge to shout. His calls would only distract his Pokemon. The combatants huffed and wheezed their exhaustion momentarily robbing them of movement. King hissed weakly, pushing off his right claw, and activating Metal Claw on his left.

Pinsir rolled to the right and shoved itself to its feet. The beetle cocked its fist back, took a step forward, then stumbled the gleam of Mega Punch fading. King shrieked and swung wildly with a Slam. The glowing claw wedging itself into the center of Pinsir's chest made the beetle's eyes bulge. It took rapid steps back and hacked. Blood and saliva dripped from the bug's maw in tiny streams.

It clicked weakly, shuddered, and collapsed. "Get up!" Samurai screamed.

"Yeah!" the brat, cheered pumping a fist.

"Game over," Ash declared, grinning. _Its chest took too many Slams and its exoskeleton collapsed from it eh?_ "Great job!" the trainer congratulated his grin becoming fond. King's eyes curved up happily as he was recalled. Willow trotted up to him with her vines dragging behind her. She brought her vines up and over her. She promptly dropped the little Pinsir at his feet.

Hellfire yowled, making the duo turn to him. Vulpix was whacking the unmoving, whimpering, Growlithe with her tails. _Did he even get to fight it?_ "Eh, that's enough girl." The vixen slapped it one last time, then strode to him with her head held high. _Well, at least she probably didn't traumatize this one._ Growlie, the Growlithe that had belonged to James, had whimpered when he'd come to visit it with Vulpix.

"There'll be other fights," he murmured to Hellfire. The dog crooned sadly. This was the second Growlithe they'd fought. This was the second Growlithe the Houndour had been denied a battle with due to Vulpix and Ash. The smug look she sent Hellfire's back showed how repentant she truly was. _Houndour aren't the only ones who have bad blood with that family line._ Ash cleared his throat. "Viridian's about thirty minutes away, if you hurry, you might be able to save your Pokemon," he said gesturing over his shoulder with a thumb.

"You, you little-" Samurai took a step forward his face becoming an interesting shade of purple. Willow tapped the button on Gore's Pokeball. The Piloswine huffed and grinned happily, in a manner that vaguely reminded him of Wave. Samurai froze at the sight of the fully evolved boar Pokemon.

 _She released him just because she missed him didn't she?_ He wanted to take the man to the police, but technically he hadn't broken any laws. It wasn't illegal to challenge an unlicensed child, and ambushing weary travelers merited a fine at worst. Rangers patrolled specifically to deal with Campers, guide trainers through difficult areas such as this forest, and to help troubled trainers, but there weren't any nearby. Still, he would not be letting Samurai get away with just a beating. "Now, apologize to the brat and get the hell out of here!"

"Yeah, apologize!" the child intoned.

Samurai recalled his Pokemon. "I'm sorry," he ground out bowing stiffly.

"No, do it properly, on your hands and knees... And fork over all your money while you're at it!" Ash snapped narrowing his eyes. Vulpix yipped happily, looking positively delighted with the turn of events. Willow whimpered and turned to Gore. The swine grunted noncommittally, glaring daggers at Samurai. Gore didn't know exactly what happened, but he remembered Oak taking him to visit King once he'd been stabilized. If Ash let him, he'd likely end the camper. _Not that I haven't thought about it myself..._

"Eh, I don't think he should have to do that," the boy piped up. Ash turned to give him an annoyed look.

"He deserves it!"

"I said no!" the brat cried, raising his chin defiantly.

"You don't get a say in this you're like six!" Ash snapped.

"Am not!"

"Are so!"

"Am not!"

"Are- I am not doing this! I have a license which means I'm in charge here!" Ash said crossing his arms over his chest. The boy smiled smugly. The trainer raised a brow. He turned back to his victim. "Where the hell is he?" Ash cried scouring the field. He snapped to his partner. The Piloswine was lying on his side and chewing on grass. "Gore! How could you let him get away!" he demanded. Gore blinked before he snorted and returned to gnawing the grass. He turned to chastise his other Pokemon then sighed. Willow was sunbathing, Hellfire was rolling around on his back, and Vulpix had retrieved her berry. Even the tiny Pinsir wasn't helping him.

 _Wait a minute now…_ "Brat you want the Pinsir?" Ash inquired, tugging on the bill of his and sighing. He'd keep such a rare bug for himself, were it not for the fact that King would be furious. Trainers who ignored their Pokemon's feelings on delicate matters didn't do well. Trying to make a proud Pokemon kneel to you would just lead to your death or the Pokemon leaving. "Oi, d'you hear me?" Ash demanded turning to fix the boy with a hard stare.

The child (he really needed to learn his name) had paled and was staring over Ash. He stiffened when he realized he no longer heard the crunching of leaves. Ash turned. He inhaled sharply through his nose. Hovering above the trees to their far right was six, four-legged yellow wasps with two black stripes going across their abdomens. Their front legs ended in six inch stingers that resembled white lances. Gore displaying his tusks while Hellfire and Vulpix bared their teeth. They were of an extremely territorial and violent species, Beedrill. Gore wasn't in the best condition, and King couldn't beat Ash at the moment, but Hellfire and Vulpix's advantage should -

One of the Beedrill made an odd clicking sound, and from the trees beneath it rose at least ten more Beedrill.

Ash swallowed and Willow gave a long mournful call.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Be sure to tell me what you thought of the rematch. It's kind of weird having someone so incompetent wield an adult Pinsir.

On Ritchie… I'm kind of working with a blank slate here. All he seems to be in the canon is a better version of Ash that came out of nowhere to defeat him. Any ideas?

Thanks for reading.


	25. Chapter 25

So, the thing said I updated a while back. Sorry about that. I'm editing earlier chapters.

I own nothing, please support the official release.

Episode 25: The Swarm

Xxxxxxxxx

Three bees flew to their right, four more flew to the team's left, seven Beedrill charged directly their lances extended, while the remaining bees hung back. Their swarms' eyes shone with the yellow energy of a powerful bug Pokemon. " _Hivemind", so the Queen can't be too far away, eh? Don't wanna mess with her, especially not this time of year._ Gore roared and blasted a gust of powdery wind, forcing the bees charging from their front to abandon their surge. "Hellfire to me!" he cried as he ran to take cover with the child. "You three, Tri formation! Ice, Ember, Bullets!" Ash snapped reaching into his upper right pocket.

"Mr. Trainer, my Pinsir!" the boy cried. Ash flinched. Cursing, he grabbed a Pokeball from his upper left pocket and handed it to the child.

 _Good! He's got a trainer's belt!_ "If you want it, then it's your responsibility!" _Damn it, I'm becoming the old man._ Ash slapped his cheek lightly. He needed to be in the battle.

Glowing seeds and whipping vines kept the bees to his Piloswine's left at a healthy distance, but the Beedrill were too swift for Willow to defeat while guarding her teammates' backs. Vulpix had created a small wall of fire to Gore's left. Every attempt the bees made to jab with their lances she launched sparks that made them retreat with frightened squeaks. Ash cursed when he realized Hellfire had been cut off by a large Beedrill.

Willow lashed out at a bee, wrapping it around its wrists with her vines. A nearby Beedrill swiped at the Bulbasaur's vines with Fury Cutter, severing them. Willow squawked and backpedaled rapidly hitting Vulpix's back. The vixen squeaked falling face first into her own shield. The glow in the swarm's eyes grew as the bees in the back turned to the females. Ash's eyes widened, "Gore, to your left!"

The Piloswine snorted and smacked his battered foe away with the side of his tusk. His eyes widened, horrified, then he spewed a shrieking gust of snowy wind from his maw. The chilling wind engulfed the leading bees, covering their wings in a layer of frost and making them slam into the earth. The bugs trailing them had just enough time to dart above the Icy Wind. Gore growled and swung his neck after them when one of the downed bees lifted a lance. The Beedrill's weapon and eyes glowed yellow before shooting a blast that was the same shape as the lance. "Willow, Vulpix block it!"

The Bulbasaur's vines thrust out and slapped, only to fall short. The Pin Missile crashed into the boar's side, tearing into his hide and detonating in a flash. Gore squealed in surprise, losing control over his Icy Wind, and allowing the Beedrill swarm to fly out of his range. Ash's eyes widened. _That Beedrill was given a boost from the Queen, but a piercing attack only did that much?_ He glanced at the downed bees that had been front of their Tri formation. The remaining eight bees gave a shriek as one before charging. _! She's ordered them not to fly too close to each other so he can't freeze their wings. As expected the Queen's got more than just strength._ "Use Tri, again!"

An alarmed bark made him snap to the right. Hellfire leaped away from a poisonous needle and barked a black wave of energy that sent the bee Pokemon chasing him flying back. He fired another Snarl at a duo of bees that were trying to attack from above the team's triangle. The Houndour glanced back at his teammates looking pained, then sprinted to Ash's side.

The trainer winced. The Beedrill had landed two at least four inch cuts on his right side. "This is gonna sting a bit!" Ash sprayed the potion onto the dog's injured neck and side, making him yelp in pain as the wounds sealed. Two of the bees snapped to them. The boy squawked and made to run, but Ash grabbed and yanked him down. One of the bees flew through where the boy had been only a beat ago with a lance extended. Hellfire squawked, and instinctively, Ash turned to him.

The Beedrill jabbed at Hellfire with its glowing lances, refusing to give the dog the chance to respond. _If he gets hit by a jab, it'll go for the neck next._ Ash launched the potion smacking the Beedrill's head and making it lose its Fury Attack. Hellfire took a deep breath, then blasted a stream of flame that engulfed the bee, making it shriek. Ash flinched before snapping back to the bee in his blind sight.

He paled when the bee spat a poisonous needle at the child. The boy's Pokemon spat a ball of fire that shot through the needle and hit the bee in its belly. It buzzed more irritated than pained with the baby's Ember. Ash froze as he saw the blue back and white underbelly of the badger in the child's arms. For a moment he saw a giant badger with a fickle temper that rivaled her flames. _Arcia? No, no, it's just a Cyndaquil._

He flinched as an orb of flame crashed into the bee's head, exploding and sending the Beedrill spiraling to the earth. Hellfire bounded past him, then he leaped over the child and tore into one of bug Pokemon's arms with Bite. The Beedrill shrieked in agony, jabbing at the Houndour with its lance wildly. Hellfire howled victoriously before he clamped down on its chest, making the boy stare at him wide-eyed. Ash glanced back at the Beedrill behind them.

A surge of satisfaction coursed through him when he saw a detached lance. _It must've retreated, then._ He twitched. _I'm happy about this?_ Ash shook the feeling away. _Well, it's not like it won't grow back._ "Hellfire!" the trainer barked. The Houndour turned to him, the now unconscious bee's blood coating his muzzle and his light brown eyes wild. Ash pointed at the bees swarming the team. "Get 'em! Armor!" The dog howled, flames wrapping his form as he charged back into the fray.

The bees froze at Hellfire's bloodthirsty call. Vulpix yipped before she and Willow pummeled the swarm with small orbs of fire and Bullet Seeds. The bees shrieked, scrambling away from the ghostly flames and into the sky. Gore narrowed his eyes at the fleeing bugs before inhaling deeply. Then the Piloswine hacked and stumbled. _We've been in this damn forest too long!_ "Gore c'mere! Willow take the lead!"

Hellfire leaped after the lowest Beedrill, who only just managed to avoid a swipe of his large paw. The dog landed in a crouch before rolling away from two Pin Missiles. Hellfire spat a stream of fire that overwhelmed a bee and forced the others to scatter. A seed landed onto the foreheads of two bees before they sprouted glowing vines. The Beedrill shrieked as the Leech Seed bound their arms and wings, making the others flinch. Hellfire howled and blasted Flame Bursts into the panicking bees. Ash twitched after their foes crashed into the earth. Willow snorted and shot a spray of green dust

"We won! We won!" the boy cried tossing his Cyndaquil into the air. The trainer felt a twinge of grief as he watched the Cyndaquil squeal happily and nuzzle his partner. From the moment he'd been born those narrow, dark eyes had watched over him. It felt like Ash had spent half his childhood curled into Arcia's side as they watched Wave teach Gore what he now realized was Avalanche. He shut his eyes. _She's been gone for three years now._

Gore snorted softly and nudged him with the side of a tusk. The boar was staring at the Cyndaquil as though he'd seen a ghost. "I know," he murmured. A croon behind him made Ash jump. Willow tapped his forehead lightly. Ash smiled. "Great job, was a hell of a battle." Hellfire panted happily then moved to lick the child and his Pokemon's. Ash snorted when the boy winced. _It really is the first time he's seen this sort of thing._ His eyes narrowed as he glanced at the trees across to their far right.

The top leaves rustled. "Time to go!" Ash snapped yanking the boy to his feet. _This is the time where the two year-old Weedle become Kakuna! First she'd send the newly evolved Beedrill in a group that far outnumbers us, so she can give them experience, and can keep her real stars back guarding the cocoons. Next she'll send experienced warriors. The hive isn't on the outskirts of the trees, which means we've got about another minute max. Damn you Samurai… If I didn't have Hellfire's blood on me, I could probably get away._ "C'mon all of you!" he called when he realized Gore had turned to confront the emerging Beedrill. _If we can just get to the other side of the clearing they ought to leave us alone._

"What are you doing?" the boy cried. attempting to wriggle away. Cyndaquil squeaked indignantly before shooting a tiny Ember at Ash, making his eyes widen. A tiny glob of mud shot over the badger that easily smothered the spark. "Let go, mom'll be mad if you stretch my shirt!"

 _This brat needs to work on his priorities._ "Shut up, more of 'em are coming!" the trainer snapped. Gore gave the cub a dirty glance as he strode past them and rushed to the trees. "Gore! Where're you going?" Ash demanded. _We only have another minute max!_ "Come back here!" The Piloswine seemed to have ignored his call. Gore came to a stop before the trees with a huff. He turned to the team and bellowed.

The trainer flinched as Hellfire yipped and took off to the boar's side. Vulpix glanced between Ash and Gore then darted after the dog in Quick Attack. The trainer stared at her back, as she and Hellfire sprinted past Gore, his jaw slack. The Piloswine snorted. Willow pointed at the boar with her vines. "Okay, we're going this way, then," Ash muttered jogging after them.

"Mr. Trainer, more Beedrill!" the boy cried, making Ash snap back to him. The trainer hit his knees just before a Beedrill flew over him with its lance extended. The bee Pokemon rounded around brandishing its lances when a silver orb crashed into its side. Ash grinned as the bee was sent soaring. _Our ice might be weaker, but Ancient Power is still formidable!_ Willow squeaked, and there was a pained shriek, then a Beedrill crashed into the earth to his left and tumbled.

"Up and go!" the trainer shouted yanking the boy to his feet. "Gore and I will draw them away from you!"

"I'm n-not staying with you?" he asked, glancing at the downed Beedrill behind them.

"Willow, will protect with you," Ash said, his eyes locked on the trees. Those two were just closer than the others when the Queen gave the order to hunt them, the rest of the swarm would be upon them any moment. "Bugs eat plants! Now go!" he snapped when she hesitated. "And have Cyndaquil blast anything that moves!" Ash ordered as the boy let the Bulbasaur lead him away. _Good, she's using her head._ Going to Ash's left exposed their backs, but the path the team had been walking on would take them to Viridian.

The trainer gritted his teeth as the Queen's servants rushed out of the trees. _Nine, no ten, she's mad no doubt about._ "You'd better know what you're doing, Gore," he muttered, crouching. The swine grunted irritably before lowering himself as well. The Beedrill turned to them, then Gore flipped around and ran away. "Wha-" Ash cried before cursing and sprinting after the swine. "This was your brilliant plan?" he demanded as they broke through the line of trees, "Running away!" The loud buzzing of the Beedrill closing in on them made the boy sweat.

Gore squealed and blasted an Ancient Power at a tree to their right. Ash's eyes widened in alarm as the silver orb exploded, and the tree fell. The trainer squawked before leaping onto his partner's back. Ash flinched at the thud of the tree, and the shriek of pain from a bee. _Wait a minute!_ He glanced behind them. A bee shrieked as it was pushed by a neighbor into a tree and spiraled into the dirt. Another two swerved away from a Beedrill who nearly rammed a tree.

Ash lowered himself against Gore, the smaller the target the better, he figured. _So, they must have realized that ten, capable Beedrill is too much. By going into the thicker woods here, instead of an open path with plenty of space for them to maneuver, we might just be able to get out of this._ He gritted his teeth. _I can't believe I didn't think of this!_ He exhaled heavily. _We have a good ten yards on them, thanks to our head start, but they're already in the range of-_ The bees gave a battle cry in unnerving synchrony before the swarm shot yellow blasts from their stingers. "Gore, Pin Missile!" Ash barked, his eyes widening.

The Piloswine slammed his front hooves into the earth, making his trainer squawk and tighten his hold on the boar. The missiles pierced the earth in front of them and exploded. _Some move. Piercing power and a boom._ Gore snapped to the swarm and blasted an Ancient Power at a tree. Ash flinched at the crack of the tree being severed from its trunk. The tree fell with a thud, its vibrant leaves and thick branches obscured the duo from the swarm. Gore paused for a moment his eyes shutting, then he blasted an Ancient Power into the downed tree's branches. Chips of bark and leaves flew as the bees gave pained shrieks.

 _He was waiting for them to get in range?_ A tiny form darted out of the woods before moving behind the log. Ash tensed when he heard a Beedrill shriek and another buzz threateningly. Then a yellow blur burst from behind the log. The Beedrill raked its lance down the length of the swine's right side, and Ash's left leg. Gore squealed in pain, stumbling away as the bee rounded back to them, while the trainer stiffened staring at the rapidly growing dark on his jeans in disbelief. The Piloswine growled at the bee. Yelps of pain made the swine stiffen before turning and racing into the forest. _That cry that was - Vulpix!_ He glanced back, but failed to find the vixen.

He gritted his teeth. There were eight Beedrill still in pursuit. A Pin Missile grazed his cheek, drawing a flinch from Ash, and a growl from the boar. "Swerve!" Ash advised glancing over his shoulder. Gore blinked, his pace slowing slightly. A blast hit the boar's back, making him squeal. "I mean, er, move like an Arbok between the trees!"

The Piloswine's eyes lit up when he realized Ash's plan before darting behind a tree. A few missiles drilled into the tree, but their shield held. The trainer sighed, relieved. Bug energy tore through the armor of plant Pokemon, and many dark Pokemon, thankfully the trees were thick enough to stop Pin Missiles. _Unless they figure out to hit the same spot twice._ "Gore speed it up!" Ash snapped.

Gore grunted and took a sharp turn that nearly threw his partner off his back. Ash's eyes widened in horror when the boar blasted another Ancient Power into a tree in their path. The tree began to descend, and Gore fell into a sprint. "Gore, don't! Stop or I swear I'll roast you!" The swine's eyes narrowed and his legs bent while Ash's eyes snapped shut. Gore leaped, only just avoiding the tree. They burst through a thicket of a bushes, then the swine fell into a trot. Ash's eyes opened slowly. "I think my life flashed before my eyes," the trainer said sliding off the swine Pokemon. "And, Mom was right, we ate waaay too much pizza," he finished, taking a deep breath. Gore huffed and glared at him like he was the lowest of criminals.

Loud buzzing and shrieks of pain made them snap to the bushes. _Vulpix? Is she attacking them again? They're close._ Ash glanced around the clearing. It wasn't nearly as big as the one where they fought Samurai, closer to fifteen yards across and circular rather than rectangular. _Why would he stop in a place like this? There's no cover here. There's no advantages!_ His eyes narrowed. A faint plop to his right confirmed his suspicions. _He smelled a pond?_ The trainer and Gore flinched as they heard a yelp of pain. _You'd better not be getting reckless._

After a beat, the Beedrill's buzzing grew louder. A black form at the edge of his vision burst into the clearing. Two Beedrill burst into the clearing just before a stream of flame engulfed the bushes. The bees glanced back when the other members of the swarm hissed. "Gore, Instinct!" The swine grunted before blasting a small silver orb at the leading bee. The Beedrill swerved away from the shot, then flapped its wings rapidly, firing small blades of wind.

Ash's eyes widened as Gore stepped in front of him. Two of the blades tore into the swine's side, leaving tiny cuts and making him grunt. Another two blades gouged into the earth where Gore had stood. Ash's eyes narrowed. _I thought they were using bug moves because they wanted grass-types to keep away, is it possible they're just not good at wind manipulation?_

The Beedrill shot out at both sides before curving back towards them. The trainer cursed as Gore glanced between the surging bees. _A pincer attack?_ Hellfire spewed a Flame Burst that sent the bee to their right into the earth. Gore parried the other Beedrill's stinger, then the bee jabbed him above his right eye, making Ash flinch. The swine Pokemon squealed furiously before whacking the Beedrill away with the side of his glowing tusk.

His chest burned with fury. _You were aiming for his eye just now, weren't you?_ "After it!" Ash snapped. Gore roared and charged the dazed bee. The Piloswine neared, then slammed his front hooves into the earth before a yellow beam hit the ground in front of him. _Signal Beam?_ Five Beedrill burst into the clearing at different angles and moved to envelop the boar.

Purple fire crashed into the earth before Gore, then it encircled the Piloswine. The Beedrill halted their charge with hisses and shrieks, regarding the ghostly fire in a manner one might a dangerous predator. Ash just smirked. Hellfire barked, sending a wave of black energy that made the bees scatter. Gore huffed, giving the burning bushes a significant look. The flames parted slightly, allowing the boar to trot out of the Fire Spin.

 _They've lost their momentum!_ "Boom," Ash whispered as the bees began to huddle together again. Hellfire snorted and sent two orbs of fire at the swarm. The Beedrill snapped to the dog in an eerie unison before flying beneath the Flame Bursts. Hellfire ears fell and he took a step back as the Beedrill rushed him with their stingers glowing yellow.

Two balls of ghostly flame shot from the burning bush, but Ash knew it wouldn't make it to the dog. Then an Ancient Power surged past the trainer and crashed into the leading Beedrill's side. The bee shrieked at such a volume that Ash flinched as the orb detonated, covering the swarm and Houndour with smoke.

"Nice one, Gore!" the trainer cried pumping a fist. He turned to his partner with a grin. "Gore?" Ash called his grin fading. The swine Pokemon huffed, whether in acknowledgement or exhaustion Ash couldn't tell, keeping his eyes shut. A startled yelp made him flinch and Gore's eyelid twitch. "Return!" Gore squealed weakly as he was consumed by the scarlet light of his Pokeball.

Vulpix leaped into the clearing and rolled. A bee's Pin Missile gouged into the earth inches away from her. She spat an orb of fire that met a yellow lance shaped blast, and stalemated. The Beedrill shrieked as he burst from the woods with a glowing lance extended. A ball of fire materialized on each of the vixen's tails as she leaped over the bug Pokemon. Her tails flicked, and the orbs collided with the Beedrill's back, making it shriek as it crashed into the ground. Vulpix landed in a crouch with a wince, and the flames slithered across the bug's form until it was enveloped by them.

"Great, now get to cover!" Ash ordered. The vixen hobbled to the safety of a cluster of bushes when a yellow beam crashed into her left side. Vulpix's startled squeak made the trainer stiffen to the point of pain vixen. Ash snapped to the left before leaping away from a Beedrill's charge, still the bee's lance dug into the side of his ribs. _Does Hivemind mean Pokemon lose priority over people?_

The trainer backpedaled clutching the wound. The Beedrill swung back around, only for a Flame Burst to collide with its side. Hellfire skidded to a stop before his trainer. The Houndour huffed, exhaling a breath of such heat that the grass seemed to wither. The last Beedrill eyed the black dog warily until its eyes became yellow. The Queen's influence faded quickly, to Ash's relief, but the Beedrill raised its lances in challenge. _It didn't look like she gave it power, and it was way too quick for any pep talk, then she gave it something that made it feel like it could win?_

 _But what could make it think it could win against a fire-type?_ Hellfire howled a challenge and lowered his head to display his growing horns. Ash winced at the heat the howl produced. Beedrill propelled itself at them with a battle cry. _I could let it get past him and try to dodge its attack… No, that won't work._ "Armor, don't let it take your back!" Ash barked, crouching.

The Houndour gave a growl that revealed such bloodthirst that the Beedrill flinched. Hellfire rushed forward with flames clinging to him like armor and rammed the bee Pokemon. The Beedrill shrieked as it was sent spiraling through the air. Fire wreathed his canine's as Hellfire raced after the bee Pokemon. The trainer gaped. _Fire Fang?_

A yellow blur smashed into the dog's side, sending the Houndour yelping and skidding away from his prey. Ash flinched. _The Beedrill from before!_ "Ring!" he ordered. The dog Pokemon froze. The Beedrill's lances were covered in a yellow sheen before they charged. _Damn it!_ "Fire Spin Shield!" Ash snapped.

The Houndour barked and shot a stream of fire that quickly slithered into a circle around him. The flames flared forcing the bees to scramble away. Hellfire rolled to his feet and blasted a fiery stream into one of their back. The dog drew breath to finish the shrieking bee when two Pin Missiles crash into his side, eliciting a yelp and making him stumble from his Fire Spin.

The trainer gritted his teeth. _Even with an advantage, and us being so much stronger, two on one is a challenge._ Hellfire shook his head vigorously, then he howled and activated the largest Flame Charge he'd ever created. To Ash's astonishment, it grew further still until the grass beneath his paws was beginning to darken.

The Houndour panted sparks as his light brown eyes shifted to a radiant gold. He turned to face the Beedrill. The bee Pokemon buzzed uncertainly and glanced at its fallen comrade. It gave a distressed cry when it saw the other bee had opted to retreat.

"You won't win," Ash declared, raising a hand. Hellfire growled, but obeyed his silent command and deactivated his Flame Charge. The dog Pokemon sat on his haunches with a wince and glared balefully at his foe. The Houndour tensed as his trainer strode to stand next to him. "You might be able to kill me, but I think we both know you can't beat him," Ash continued pointing down at Hellfire.

The Beedrill raised its lances slowly until Hellfire growled, making it flinch. "Leave now. Fight another day," the trainer advised tugging on his hat, "Or stay and join him," he added pointing at the bee that Vulpix had killed. Yellow energy overwhelmed the bee's eyes as it leveled its weapons. _That answers that then._ "Have it your way," Ash muttered, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

Hellfire snarled and surged at the Beedrill. The bee Pokemon fired blast upon blast from its lances, only for the Houndour to duck and weave around them. The bee spat a glob of silk that glued one of Hellfire's front paws to the earth. The dog growled and dug into the forest floor to right himself. He eliminated his handicap with a tiny Ember.

 _It's aiming for his snout!_ "Look at me!" the trainer screamed. Hellfire snapped to him, his ears upright. Another, larger glob clamped onto the side of the dog's face, making him flinch. The Beedrill dove at Hellfire with such speed that Ash couldn't give a warning. The Houndour's ear twitched, then he crouched just before the Beedrill would have pierced his rib cage. The Beedrill swung back around and spat a string of silk.

"Low heat, up the string!" Ash barked. The dog sucked in a great breath while Beedrill's yellow eyes widened in horror. Hellfire's eyes shone as he sent a small stream of fire surging into the bee Pokemon's maw. The Beedrill yowled, flailing its lance like weapons wildly. Ash's brows rose when it froze. Its eyes bulged, then it spat a flaming glob of String Shot.

Hellfire stood at his full height, his chest puffed, he inhaled deeply, then gave of bark of such force that the trainer's neck hair stood on end. Beedrill recoiled, keeping its lances by its sides and trying to appear as small as it could manage. A yellow glow lit up the Beedrill's eyes, making Ash grit his teeth. _Her Majesty wants another round? Just try us._

The Beedrill, no the Queen, gave the duo a look of loathing and begrudging respect. Then the bee disappeared into the forest. The trainer stared after the yellow and black form until it disappeared. He sighed once it did. Hellfire nuzzled his hand. Ash smirked and scratched him behind his horns, "You were great."

He panted happily before leaping up and placing his paws on Ash's shoulders. "Okay, you're, uh, getting big for this," Ash grunted as he struggled to keep the dog up, and maintain his dignity. Hellfire licked his face, making him sputter and backpedal. "All right! We're getting outta here," the trainer muttered, using his gloves to wipe off the saliva. Hellfire blinked. "I'm not going to risk her being as fickle as Vulpix. We did sort of maim several of her underlings ya know." He stiffened, his eyes widening before snorting an agreement and padding to exit the clearing.

The trainer watched the flaming silk with narrowed eyes. _It hasn't been destroyed completely. Even at low heat it should... That's a move I'll be weary of in the future._ String Shot was a move that bug Pokemon had created to restrain ancient grass-types, usually the calves, and a delay tactic. About a hundred thousand years ago, when fire-types first burst into the scene, it found another use. Bug moves tended to be physical enhancement moves, which was horrible against fire-types who were considered the third most dangerous type of ranged attacks. String Shot wasn't especially resistant, but it wasn't weak to flames, and could give bugs a much needed window to escape or counterattack.

A wave of heat washed over him from behind. He flipped. Hellfire stood mere yards away, his body taut with tension, flames surrounding him, and panting lightly. Ash took a step back when the dog's brown eyes turned black. The dog threw his head back and barked, blasting the most powerful black wave of energy he'd ever created. Then Hellfire's eyes shifted to a deep yellow before he shot a stream of fire. Ash shielded himself with his arms as the Incinerate zipped past him. _This heat is-!_

The Houndour snarled and a black energy reminiscent of Nasty plot oozed out of his body. The fire and the darkness slithered to Hellfire's head until they wrapped around his small horns. Hellfire panted heavily, a wild gleam in his eyes as his left eye became black, while his right shifted to a gold as radiant than the midday sun.

Hellfire howled, a long, haunting thing that sent a Rattata who'd meandered into the clearing scrambling for cover. The energies consumed him from his gaping trainer's view. Then the elements vanished, leaving only the scorched, blackened earth to prove they'd ever been.

Hellfire snorted a small flare of flame. Ash took a step forward. The Houndoom stood at about thirty inches at his shoulder. His white horns that curved back to his skull, were as impressive as any ram's, though not nearly a match for the far away ram Pokemon, Gogoat. His small tail had grown into a whip like appendage that ended in a shape reminiscent of the head of an arrow. Hellfire's segmented bone armor now covered the majority of his back, and had a small ring like armor around his neck that ended in a skull on his chest.

The great dog sat on his haunches and whuffed. Ash smiled broadly when the Houndoom panted happily with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. _He didn't change a bit._ Later he would realize he didn't even remember moving, the next thing he remembered was rubbing his friend behind his large horns and receiving a croon. _Houndoom, eh? My Houndoom._ "Let's get out of this stupid forest," Ash murmured. Hellfire barked an agreement.

Xxxxxx

I hope everyone of age will vote to help decide the next President of the U.S. I'd like to talk to everyone who's interested about my candidate.

Also, I really do appreciate my reviewers. Constructive criticism is one's best friend. As long as that person is not overly sensitive about it.


	26. Chapter 26

Well, my faithful readers, after 25 episodes Ash has finally reached Viridian City! I think this is some kind of record. Can anyone confirm that?

Episode 26

Finally, Viridian

Xxxxxxx

 _My head feels a bit fuzzy... And my chest is tingling too. Is it the exhaustion?_ "You two, what are you doing here?" Ash asked, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He was too tired to be frustrated with them for defying him. Willow barked and pointed at the fading smoke over the foliage. "Fair enough," he turned to the boy, "Well, what about you?"

"We-we wanted to help," the child murmured a faraway look in his gray-blue eyes. Cyndaquil squeaked and glared at him. He puffed out his chest, and Ash understood. He glanced at Hellfire. Perhaps it was in the honey badger's best interest that Hellfire was distracted. Then Houndoom blinked when Willow poked his nose with a vine. Then the dog whuffed and clamped down onto the limb gently. Then he released it before licking it lightly. Willow chirped and sat on her haunches. She tilted her head to the side, confused by her companion's abrupt change.

The trainer stared at him for a long moment. "You know what, your parents get to deal with you, and your hero complex," he decided huffing. The boy flinched. He swallowed heavily and shuffled.

"Sorry?" he tried.

"Nope. Too late. I'm telling them 'bout this," Ash said, gesturing for his Pokemon to follow him down the worn, dirt trail. He smiled when the boy paled. "I'm doing this for your own good, brat," he told the child holding in a laugh. His grandfather had told him the same once when he'd gone to observe - or kidnap them depending on who you asked - the hatching of Cyndaquil kits. He was fairly certain at the time that the old man just wanted him to pay for his recklessness, and now that the shoe was on the other foot, Ash was certain of it.

"My name's not brat! It's Ethan!"

"Don't care," the trainer drawled. He, and most of his team were wounded, exhausted, likely poisoned, and he'd lost his backpack. That pack had cost him a week's worth of battling. The brat would be miserable too. "Shouldn't have been out here alone anyway." Ash stared at his Bulbasaur. _I thought only bull Venusaur had six vines?_ Ash turned to his Houndoom. _Why does it look like the skull on his chest is glaring at me? My fingers are tingling now..._

"It's not my fault the guide left me, I just took a nap! And I'm not alone! I have my partner with me!" the boy cried, racing after them.

"Yes, all five and a half pounds of him," the trainer quipped. _If a Beedrill too weak to beat a wounded Houndour is what kills me, please let Gary be killed by an overweight Jigglypuff._ Ash didn't particularly believe in any true god, but he found himself hoping his prayer was heard. He shook his last Antidote can. The quiet swish was music to his ears. The light tingling in his fingertips was not nearly as welcoming.

Pecha and Jazz berries were hardly his favorite, but at the moment, the berries tasted better than any Sitrus berry. Willow would likely be horrified if she knew he thought that. _Almost worth telling her just to see the outraged look on her green face._ Ash shuddered. _Antidote still feels weird going down. Jeez, even Oran berries can't make up for the incredibly sweet taste._

"Are you okay?" Ethan asked, his brow furrowing in a manner Ash was certain his mother would find cute.

"Yeah, or at least, I will be," he muttered. "You'd think with how many times I've been poisoned I'd have gotten used to this crap by now, though," the trainer complained scrunching his face in disgust. _How could I ever think this tastes better than a Sitrus berry?_ "Hey, did either of your Pokemon get hit by a Poison Sting?"

"I woulda told you if they did," Ethan shot back sending him a look of deep irritation.

"I've known you for less than an hour, and I'm already tired of your backtalk, kid," the trainer groused tugging on his hat. _Just ten more minutes. I'll find an officer, and I'll ditch him._ Cyndaquil squeaked something Ash was certain was impudent. His guess was proven correct when Willow popped the kit on the tip of his long, golden snout with a vine.

"What was that for?" the boy demanded scowling. Cyndaquil glared as he rubbed his nose.

"Meh, I'm sure he deserved it," Ash uttered shrugging noncommittally.

"You can't hit a baby that isn't yours! That's child abuse!" Willow snorted, keeping her narrowed eyes on the trail.

"He's probably older than her, you know," Ash pointed out, gesturing to the small bulb on the saurian's back, "Besides they're Pokemon. Different rules." He'd lost track of the number of times Pins had kicked, smacked, shot, punched, and sat on Gore. Wave had never particularly cared. Ethan opened his mouth. "Put a cork in it, or I'm gonna abuse the side of your head!" he lifted the metallic can for emphasis.

"You're a jerk," Ethan grumbled. Ash's eyebrow twitched. _Let's see how pleasant you are after being poisoned._ He sighed. _I will not be getting in a fight with a ten-year old. That said..._ Ash glanced at Willow. _It was an overreaction, especially for the most level headed of our group._ Hellfire was giving the dinosaur a worried look as well. _He knows too._ Ash reached to his waist. His fingers paused inches above Gore's Pokeball. _No, he can't come out till he can get treatment._

A high, girlish scream made him stiffen and the brat jump. His teams' ears shot up as they, and Cyndaquil, began to sniff the air insistently. _Guess I gotta help them too. Mom'll give me the look if she found I didn't anyway._ "Direction," the trainer sighed. Hellfire snorted and pointed to their right with his paw. He nodded, and to his surprise, Willow darted in the direction. Hellfire tilted his head to the side with a blink and his tongue hanging out. "Stay here," Ash ordered turning to give the boy a sharp look.

"But I can-"

"Stay on the path and keep going!" the trainer snapped, striding after his grass-type with Hellfire padding alongside him. He scowled before moving into a sprint when he heard the distinct detonation of a Seed Bomb. The trainer only made it a few yards before collapsing. Hellfire braced him with his muscular neck. Ash gasped. _The poison's not neutralized yet?_ For the first time, in some time he found himself cursing his weak human body.

The Houndoom crooned. The quiet crack of another Seed Bomb made his ears snap up. Hellfire nudged the uninjured side of his ribs. Ash panted, then inhaled deeply and swung his leg over the dog's back. Hellfire burst into movement at such speed that Ash nearly lost his grip on his horns. He yanked on the horns, forcing himself against the dog Pokemon's back.

Ash squawked as the dog skidded to stop, sending him rolling off his back. The force of his crashing into the earth knocked the air from his lungs. The trainer opened a single eye. Hellfire stared at him like he was doing something utterly ridiculous. "Just help her," Ash ordered quietly with a wheeze.

The dog howled, and several shrieks of fear greeted his ear. The trainer grunted and forced himself to a knee. Willow slapped away a large, green, worm like Pokemon then leaped away from a thread of silk blasted at her by another Caterpie. _A group of Caterpie?_ Hellfire barked authoritatively as he stomped after three fleeing Caterpie.

A blue blur slammed into the dog's armored side, throwing him off his paws. Ash's eyes widened. _Heracross, eh?_ The blue beetle Pokemon stood far shorter than average size for its species, about three feet tall including its great horn, that ended in what looked to be butterfly wings. The pair of two-inch long white nails on the end of the beetles long, spindly arms. The long nail on each foot was used in the same vein as those of a Pinsir, clinging to trees while under assault from wind users. Unlike a Charizard's paw, which had nails that were practically small knives, or Gore's incredibly hard hooves, its feet weren't dangerous without an enhancement move. Its kicks would be a fraction the threat of its punches, cuts, or chops. Ash eyed its horn warily. _That thing on the other hand…_

Willow squared herself and extended her vines. A brave front, it would have convinced even her trainer had he not noticed her gulp. She was anxious. _She should be._ The segmented armor of the beetle Pokemon would be difficult for her to get through. Ash glanced at Hellfire who had padded back into view. _But maybe we won't have to._ Heracross weren't an unreasonable species, the presence of a fire Pokemon could very well be enough to dissuade it.

The beetle Pokemon eyed its opponents warily when they inched forward. Then a cloud of black smoke engulfed Heracross. Ash snapped to the left. "Cyndaquil!" His eye twitched when he saw Ethan peeking out from behind a tree. A Flame Burst exploded and Heracross shrieked in pain. The beetle Pokemon exploded from the Smokescreen with a look of fury. It cocked its glowing fist back a second before three glowing seeds crashed into its side.

Heracross flinched. Hellfire surged at the bee with his head lowered and his flame armor blazing. The Houndoom lowered his head and rammed the beetle Pokemon, pinning it against a tree. Hellfire gritted his teeth, increasing the heat of his Flame Charge, then spun away from the stunned Heracross. Their foe shrieked as an Energy Ball exploded into its belly. "Enough!" Ash ordered, rising. Heracross sank to its knees. The trainer primed a Pokeball. This was one of the most gifted bug Pokemon in the world. He wouldn't be letting it go easily. He narrowed his eyes, then threw.

Heracross snapped its head up and shot a String Shot at his Houndoom's horns. The dog barked indignantly before he was torn off the ground by the beetle, making him squawk. Hellfire flinched as the Pokeball hit his snout. The Beetle snapped the String Shot. Ash's eyes widened as the Houndoom flew.

Vines swung out to brace Hellfire's head and neck. Willow squeaked as her vines were set aflame by the Houndoom's Flame Charge. Ash grimaced when the dog fell on the top of a tree. He and Willow flinched each time the dog squawked, and squeaked as he fell down the thick branches before hitting the ground on his head and bouncing onto his back. Hellfire groaned, his misery.

"Is, uh, is he okay?" Ethan asked as he and Cyndaquil stared wide-eyed at the whining fire-type.

 _It flew off while we were distracted? As expected of the strongest bug, you are rather formidable upstairs too._ "Yeah, he's fine," Ash said, striding to pick up his Pokeball. "Look, kid, a Pokemon with a decent bit of elemental strength can take a ton of punishment," he continued turning to recall the dog Pokemon. _That thing… I underestimated the strength of the species._ They were capable of lifting ten times their weight, could manipulate the wind, rock, and bug elements, and had the impressive reflexes of a fighting-type. Scyther, Heracross, or Pinsir. It was a common debate, which of the three was the most talented bug Pokemon in the world?

Ash clipped the Houndoom's Pokeball to his belt. "Oh yeah, Willow where's the girl?" The dinosaur continued to stare after the Heracross with an uncharacteristic look of frustration. "Oi, Willow!" he snapped. Willow jumped with a squeak. "Where's the girl?" The Bulbasaur blinked. "The one we came to save?" Ash elaborated irritation leaking into his tone.

The grass Pokemon blinked again, then her face scrunched up like she'd tasted something foul. Willow pointed to a cluster of bushes with a burned vine. "Has she, er, let's say, taken a rest?" Ash inquired quietly giving the dinosaur a meaningful look. She quavered quietly. _She's not sure then? Or..._

"Has she what?" Ethan called striding into view with Cyndaquil in his arms.

"Stay here." The boy opened his mouth. "I mean it this time! Follow me, and I'll throw your ass off a bridge!" Ash snarled, making the boy flinch. "Show me." Willow snorted and trotted toward the bushes. The trainer's heart pounded in his ears. She pushed through the brush and Ash followed.

He swallowed. The one they'd fought to save lay mere yards in front of him. Judging by the hairy legs sticking out from under a cluster of small bushes the second person he'd rescued in the past hour was not female. He tugged the man out of the bushes gently.

Ash scowled. "You managed to nearly get killed after fifteen goddamn minutes, really? How the hell did you beat me?" Samurai groaned in response. The trainer's eye twitched. "So this is why you looked like that," Ash muttered, glancing back at an unusually sour expression of Willow. She growled before glaring at the keening man. The man, no, now that he had closer look it was clear that Samurai was about Daisy's age was wounded. Ash reached for his last potion. _If I use this on him, and an experienced Pokemon comes along, we could easily die…_ He shut his eyes. It took only a moment to make a decision.

The trainer tugged on his hat to conceal his eyes. "I could leave you here, ya know," he said in a conversational tone. Samurai's eyes widened in horror. Ash took a moment to relish his fear. "But, if I did that, I'd probably get bothered by some Ranger when they found what was left of you," Ash added drawing the potion. "Hmph, you should be grateful Growlithe are lent to Rangers when they patrol." The older boy was still pale, but most of the tension had left his body. "Of course, if I don't use this now, you'll bleed out anyway," Ash chuckled while Samurai gaped.

Willow poked him with a vine. The trainer rolled his eyes. _She has no sense of humor sometimes. I miss Gore…_ The long, smooth, thin cut through the armor over his chest would need to be dealt with first (the result of Heracross's Aerial Ace?). Ash hadn't the faintest idea how to remove the armor, and he doubted Samurai could explain it quickly enough for him before he went into shock.

Samurai grimaced as the medicine began to close the wound. He gasped when the trainer pushed his armor up slightly to further spray the wound. Ash found himself immensely grateful that the cuts on his thigh and arm were significantly easier to apply the potion too. "Can you walk?" the trainer asked, rising. Samurai glared at him. "Yeah, figured you couldn't."

"Hey buddy, need your help," Ash murmured, turning to the green Pokemon. She looked up at him. Ash smiled, "I don't think I tell you often enough that you're my favorite dinosaur in the world." Willow narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. "Gore and Hellfire are hurt. King is exhausted. I'm exhausted. Carrying this guy would be a lot easier if you…" he made his smile as sweet as possible and pointed at the downed trainer behind him. She stared at him, distinctly unimpressed and unconvinced. Ash sighed. _Damn it, I miss when this was all I needed to get her to do things._

"You can't be serious," Ethan called poking his head beyond the bush. "She's not much bigger than Cyndaquil," he continued holding the irritable, little honey badger up for emphasis. Ash frowned. _Why the hell can't he see I'm trying to keep him alive?_ Somewhere in the back of his mind, a voice that sounded suspiciously like Daisy's reminded him that he did the same thing to his grandfather. His frown deepened into a scowl.

"Geez, even I wouldn't make a hurt Pokemon work like this," Samurai added, pointing at the gash on her side. Ash twitched. _I'm being judged by the guy who tried to rob, and assaulted, a kid._ "And aren't her vines burned too? How would she even move me?" he uttered his brow furrowing in confusion. Willow warbled an agreement.

"And we're only a few minutes from the city! It kind of makes you wonder what else he's made her do," Ethan whispered in a conspiratorial tone to Cyndaquil. Willow wailed as though remembering a terrible trauma.

"Shut up already! I'll carry him!" Ash growled.

Xxxxxxx

According to Mrs. Mitchell, the nurse in charge of the Viridian Pokemon Center, Samurai would be fine if he received another potion, and rested in his room while his Pokemon were tended to. Samurai had protested the arrangement, but a quelling look from the old nurse had him in bed quickly. Ash and Willow promptly ditched the older boy.

"I keep telling you, it'd be way easier if you weren't sitting down," Ethan pointed out.

"Quiet!" Ash snapped as he applied the potion. He ignored the looks he received from the others in the Center's waiting room as he tugged his shirt and vest back down. "Why're you even here? Shouldn't you be off making your parents regret ever meeting, or eating or something?"

"You're not very nice when you're recovering from being poisoned," the boy sighed.

"Would you be?" the trainer demanded.

"Nicer than you," he quipped before popping one of the candies the old nurse had given him into his mouth. Ash glared at him.

"Let's go look for your parents already," he said, rising from the table. "Your dad, he's a trainer of some sort right? He should be around here, or at the Gym."

"Oh, I think I know where he is," Ethan responded stroking Cyndaquil's blue back lightly.

"Wait, you do?" Ash asked, blinking. A man squawking in pain and wood hitting the floor made Willow's ears snap up. The groaning man was in a dirty lab coat lying facedown on the floor.

"Yeah, I sorta wish he'd get better at the tripping thing," Ethan sighed looking long suffering.

"That's him isn't it," Ash stated, staring at the rising man. He was familiar somehow, the boy was certain. The man was scrawny and tall. He had short, light, brown hair that looked not to have been brushed in some time and wore a thick pair of glasses.

"No! That's just Uncle Tree, my dad's way cooler than him," Ethan uttered sliding out of his seat. "But if Uncle gets hurt, it makes him look bad," the dark-haired boy told him.

 _Uncle Tree?_ Something clicked. "Professor Elm?" he called his tone slightly hesitant. The man, who had somehow gotten his foot stuck in one of the center's potted ferns, snapped to him. Willow watched the man with astonishment. The trainer placed her on his shoulder before he rose to greet his grandfather's student.

"Oh, it's you! Ash right? One of Professor Oak's adopted children's children!" the professor said, beaming. Ash's smile receded slightly. _I could have done without the adopted part, you accident prone dork._ It wasn't something any of them (Daisy, Ash, and Gary) liked to think on. After all, they'd considered the man their grandfather for the entirety of their lives. That the man wasn't his mother (their mother now) or uncle Garrett's father, had left him feeling oddly empty for some time.

 _I still can't believe he forgot to tell us for so long._ He thought back to the time his grandfather had gotten into a fight with Seel pup over his sardines. The trainer sighed quietly. _You know what, I can believe it. I can completely and utterly believe it._ "How are you doing? How's the family?" Elm chirped as he plodded over to Ash.

Ethan and Willow winced every time the pot clanked against the ground. The trainer snorted. It seemed Elm hadn't changed much in the past year and a half. Ash blinked. _Actually, it's been a bit more than that. The Indigo League Conference is in about another year._ It was odd, he didn't feel any different. He'd always assumed that this deep in his journey he would have been, well, more. Gore wasn't quite seven yet, but he was already approaching twenty-five hundred pounds. It probably wouldn't be much longer before he learned Ice Fang either. Hellfire and King had evolved and King had even overcome a fully grown Pinsir of all things (Ash couldn't wait to see what else the crab could do once he recovered).

Willow could hold her own against King. Vulpix had earned two tails in a little over a year. The fifth tail was supposed to quickly follow the fourth too. _I wonder if I've evolved too?_ "The family's fine," Ash answered after a moment.

"Great to hear! How's that spunky little, well not so little anymore, partner of yours doing? His name was boar right?" the professor asked. "And who is this?" he inquired, smiling at Willow with an eagerness a younger Ash would have when he learned of a new Pokemon.

"His name's Gore, and he's fine," Ash responded in an even tone, "And she is Willow." The Bulbasaur eyed the man as though he was a dangerous and unpredictable creature. _Sounds about right really._

"Could it be she's the Pokemon Professor Oak gave you? I'd say a little under six pounds or so, right?"

"Five pounds even, sir, and yes, she was," the trainer said, reaching up to pat the saurian's side lightly. After their training in Lavender she'd lost most of her baby fat. Though, given her species build she still looked a bit chubby and had rather full looking cheeks.

"Huh," the professor muttered, his eyes sharpening. "I've never heard of such a small Bulbasaur that's less than a year old before, I wonder how that affects her development as a warrior?" he murmured. Willow's grip on his shoulder tightened to the point of pain.

"Not much," Ash grunted tapping the side of the Bulbasaur's head. He sighed when her grip relaxed. He gave her a curious look. _She's never reacted like that before. Then again, I think this is the first time anyone's ever brought up her size in front of her before…_ Usually people were too surprised to see a Bulbasaur, let alone a cow, to comment on anything of the sort. Ash's eyes narrowed. _Less than a year old?_ "Are you saying that the other Bulbasaur from Laramie Ranch are bigger than she is?" he inquired. Willow shivered and poked at his neck with a paw urgently.

"Much, much, smaller," Elm said with a nod. The trainer narrowed his eyes. _Gramps didn't mention this. If this dork knows, he must know too. Why wouldn't he mention it?_ Ash tensed when he felt his Pokemon begin to shake more violently. _An enemy?_ He glanced around the massive waiting room. The other Pokemon were perfectly calm, except for an excitable looking Rattata who was chittering enthusiastically with an annoyed looking Nidorino.

"Ash Ketchum, please come to room two-hundred and two, your Pokemon are ready to see you now," the voice of a young man called through the intercom.

"Well, it was nice to see you again Professor!" the trainer said nearly bowling the man over in his haste. Elm squawked before flailing as he fell to the ground. Ash winced at the man's cry of pain, but continued on his way. He needed to see them. Gore hadn't been so exhausted since they'd fought Jessie and James' Nidoking. The trainer pushed through the double doors that led to the patients' rooms.

 _And Hellfire and Vulpix are…_ He sped up to a near jog. Ash's heart thudded in his chest. _Two-hundred, two-hundred and one - here!_ He swung open the door. The trainer and the Bulbasaur winced when the metal knob slammed into the Center's wall. The young nurse who had called him glared as he made his way out of the room. "Sorry," Ash offered coughing into his fist. The man ignored him. "We deserved that," the trainer told Willow.

The Bulbasaur glared at him. "All right, so maybe I deserved that," he corrected with a chuckle. Willow hopped from his shoulder and trotted up to Gore's pod. She leaped onto the table. The Bulbasaur warbled. Gore's floppy ear twitched in response. Willow sauntered around the pod while sniffing the clear mechanism.

Ash smirked from next to Hellfire's pod. It had taken Gore the better part of his first year to stop ramming the creations of Greg Gray from Sinnoh. It was an intriguing machine, he would admit. The metal rings within the pod released a small, steady, periodic stream of potion onto the wounded Pokemon. Like all potion, it closed wounds first using the power of an Oran that was enhanced through a Jazz berry, which also allowed the healing powers of the Oran to seep through the skin.

After several moments of inspection, the Bulbasaur turned. She extended her vine to Vulpix's pod before Ash could stop her. The trainer grimaced in sympathy when Willow slammed face first into the vixen's Gray Pod. "Gotta aim higher, girl," Ash advised tugging on the bill of his hat. She wailed weakly.

He turned back to Hellfire. The fur on the back of his neck had largely grown back, but it couldn't conceal the long white line on his neck. Most fire-types were like grass-types; they didn't get scars - something his vain Vulpix undoubtedly appreciated - but he almost wanted the mark to remain. Whenever he looked at the scar on his chest, or the countless scars on Gore that were hidden by his shaggy fur, he remembered how they were created.

It made him want to study harder, to come up with simpler and quicker commands, and to strengthen his own body. Ash ran his fingers along his Pokedex, Dexter. He needed to research bug Pokemon more extensively. His lack of knowledge on Pinsir and Heracross nearly cost them more than he would ever be willing to pay. The trainer's eyes widened when Hellfire twitched.

The Houndoom yawned loudly and rolled onto his side. Hellfire yelped, alarmed, when he hit the side of the Gray Pod. The dog Pokemon flipped away from the side of the pod, only to crash into the other side of the pod. Ash gave a long suffering sigh as the dog began to bounce back and forth in the pod.

A vine reached out before fumbling around on Hellfire's table, until it finally found the button to release him. Ash squawked when the dog kicked his sternum, sending him falling into the white tiled floor. Hellfire rolled off the table with a yelp. The trainer gasped as the hundred and fifty-five-pound armored dog fell onto his chest.

The Houndoom barked triumphantly. "Hate you, hate you both," Ash groaned, pushing at the dog's bone armor weakly. Hellfire blinked before twisting his neck around to stare at the boy. His light brown eyes lit up. "Hellfire no gyack-" Ash pushed at the dog's thick neck as he began to lick the boy's face. "Will-"

His Bulbasaur's thin vines were his saviors. She wrapped them around a horn and tugging Hellfire away from his face, allowing Ash to roll away from his affectionate Pokemon. He sputtered, his face scrunching in disgust. _He got in my mouth this time!_ "Why does this keep happening?" Ash groaned when his coughs ceased. _Gore does it less now, and he's doing it more! If I could just get Gore to quit headbutting me, I'd accept the trade with dignity…_

Well, as much dignity as someone covered in slobber could have anyway. He pushed himself to his feet. "I trade a giant lick happy pig, for a large lick happy dog," Ash muttered wiping his hair from his eyes. "Oh, you're up too," the raven-haired trainer observed.

Vulpix looked at the button outside her pod pointedly. "Willow, will you help her out?" The vixen stretched once she was released. "That reminds me, we need to have a chat," Ash announced. "Not you," he said when Hellfire turned to him. "I think it's time you got a name." She regarded him with narrowed eyes. "It's been a year, so ya know, I figure it's time. And I picked out a name a while back," Ash uttered turning to stare at the wall behind Vulpix.

The vixen stared at him for several moments. It was a fight to keep from fidgeting under her intense scrutiny. Finally, she sat on her haunches. "Right, um, good," Ash swallowed, "So, the name I thought of was something I thought of when I remembered the Ninetales you were with. Your name, if you like it that is, it's Grace."

Vulpix tilted her head to the side, then yipped. "Oh, you like it, then?" the trainer said with a blink. _That was much easier than I figured it would be._ Gore had tried to bite him when he suggested Woolly Ham as a name, and he'd been about five hours old. _At least he was less violent about the pepperoni thing._ "Heh, guess we'll be calling you Grace from now on then!" Ash said with a smile.

Xxxxx

Fun Fact: Honey Badgers are actually weasels. They also have been known to castrate lions. They're pretty awesome.


	27. Chapter 27

For the love of all that is good and holy, I do not own Pokemon.

Episode 27

Viridian

Xxxxxxxxx

"Again." King swung his glowing hammer across his chest, sending shards of stone flying from the rock, then he stabbed it with a Metal Claw. The crab narrowed his eyes slightly. "Don't worry so much about the depth, it still pierced it," Ash said crossing his arms over his chest. "Your hammer is great as usual," he added smirking.

The Kingler hefted his dominant claw overhead and clicked. _Hammer and Sword… I wonder what other fighting styles we can make._ King's claws were now large enough to be considered mature, even though he still had another couple years of growing to do at least. The things he could do now seemed limitless. Pinching, cutting, smashing, shielding and a conduit for the crab Pokemon's elemental manipulation. _Grandpa was right. The possibilities for each species are nearly endless. You just have to be willing to look._

There were some negatives to his growth though. They'd decided to call his dominant claw hammer for a few reasons. King couldn't sharpen it to the degree he could his smaller claw. It seemed to curve further inward with every day, making cutting a difficult task. Mrs. Mitchell said it was natural though, so they'd just have to make do with his left claw being his sword.

"Oi Willow! You ready to train?" The Bulbasaur grumbled something before climbing higher up her boulder. "Fine," Ash sighed while rolling his eyes. _She's been doing nothing but sunbathing all day._ He shrugged, he'd trust her judgement. Viridian forest had been rough on all of them. The Bulbasaur knew they had a Gym battle in this city. She knew they had a little over a year left. _She probably had a good reason for sitting out. If she didn't Gore would have said something._ Ash glanced at Hellfire.

The dog Pokemon gnawed on his prized mammoth bone contently. _After his win yesterday he definitely deserves it._ It was good for their jaws as well apparently. Grace glared at him. Ash smirked, "You win a match like that and you'll get one too." She hissed before turning back to her baby mammoth bone. "It was rather lucky, though," he murmured. Gore came to a stop next to him and grunted tiredly. Ash knelt next to his partner. The Macho Brace was another item they'd been able to purchase thanks to Hellfire.

The brace was an expensive item, but the results would be worth it. As the Pokemon grew stronger the brace would add enough resistance to make wearing it difficult again. Ash snorted. The advertisement for it had included a picture of a young Tiny and Master Bruno. He remembered staring at the picture for some time before investigating the item. It was still odd to think of the legendary Primeape as a feisty little Mankey. _I guess even she had to start somewhere._ Ash frowned.

"We won't be able to count on adults underestimating us for much longer." The swine gave him a blank look. "What I mean is, we can't expect someone to be dumb enough to wager that much money because they think Hellfire, or Willow, or Vul- Grace is a wimp anymore," Ash explained. "We've nearly died a few times… things are only going to get even harder from here on out." The brace came off with a snap.

The Piloswine promptly flopped onto his side, making Ash flinch. The trainer blinked when the boar activated Fury Attack. Gore huffed, his eyes becoming lidded and the Fury Attack's hue fading slightly. Then the boar growled and the move strengthened. _Keep going until the bitter end right?_ _That's just like you._ Ash grinned. _I'm your trainer, so I can't back down either._

"Mr. Ketchum?" a hoarse, feminine voice called with a cough.

"Yes, ma'am," he said, turning to look at the graying nurse. Her white apron had a small splotch on it that resembled blood, he noticed. There was a small scab that looked to have been healed with a potion on the back of her hand as well.

"I would like to have a word with you," Mrs. Mitchell told him. She turned and strode to the nearby bench without waiting for his answer. _Ya know, it wouldn't kill you to ask every once in a while you, old witch._ Gore chuffed, amused. Ash gave the boar a dirty look as he strode to sit with her.

 _You think me being bossed around by an old woman is funny?_ Ash smiled slyly. _When we get home, I'm going to tell everyone about your little fight with that Golbat from the Pewter Gym._ The swine froze when he saw his trainer's expression. Ash's smile widened. "You're a rather cruel boy still, little Ash," the nurse told him once he'd settled himself.

"Am not," the trainer muttered. _Really that was my comeback?_

"One wonders what you do to that poor creature when no one is watching," she hummed.

"Nothing weird!" Ash snapped scowling and crossing his arms over his chest. _Seriously, why the hell does everyone think I'm abusive?_

"Really? I find that hard to believe. I seemed to recall you once made him move a couch up a flight of stairs by himself," Mrs. Mitchell said tapping her chin thoughtfully. "And he couldn't eat until he finished correct?"

"It was a wicker couch," Ash offered averting his gaze.

"...He was two months old."

"Get to the point!"

"Fine, fine," the nurse chuckled, her lips quirking upwards, "Your temper hasn't changed much either." She turned to watch his Pokemon train. "Samuel was right. You take after his mother rather strongly." Ash winced when Willow lost her grip on her boulder with a squeak. Gore squealed in alarm as she crashed into his back. The boar sprung to his feet, glaring at everyone and everything suspiciously. "He hasn't changed either I see!" Mrs. Mitchell laughed.

 _God damn pig..._ "You aren't the type to reminisce during work hours," Ash glanced at the small burn on the nurse's neck, "What's going on?"

"Her," she responded, nodding at Willow. The saurian hopped into Ash's lap.

"Her," the trainer uttered, blinking as the grass-type position herself so that her bulb faced the sun. "What's wrong with her?" Ash inquired when the nurse nodded.

"There's nothing wrong!" Mrs. Mitchell cried glancing at his team again. Ash raised a brow. _What's with her?_ Ash and Willow cried out in surprise when they saw Gore and Grace standing a couple yards away from them. Hellfire trotted up to them with his bone hanging out of his maw. King was subtly scooting toward them while smashing his target.

"Guys… she's fine," Ash said, holding a hand to his chest in an effort to slow his racing heart. _How the hell can a Piloswine do that?_ He scowled when he noticed the mischievous gleam in Grace's golden eyes. _Shoulda known._ "Go back to your training," Hellfire whined, "Fine, five more minutes." The Houndoom panted happily before giving Ash a sloppy lick and loping away.

"What's going on then?" he asked when the other two trotted away as well. Ash winced as Gore was swiped across his snout. The Piloswine squealed before racing back to his section of the training ground. _Will he ever learn?_ Grace hissed at his back, then created a Fire Spin around herself. She moved to her bone while eyeing the boar carefully.

"Quite the characters you have here," the nurse murmured. Mrs. Mitchell cleared her throat, "Like all females of her line she has Chlorophyll-"

"I already know that," Ash cut in. She glared at him. "Please continue," he sighed.

"Chlorophyll is a bit different from most of the other abilities," she began smoothing her red dress. Willow's ears perked up. "It is different because it fades away over time." Ash and Willow flinched. _It fades?_ _But our strategies revolve around her speed!_ "Hmm… perhaps it would be more apt to say it becomes a part of them and does so swiftly," she said after a moment of consideration. The trainer furrowed his brow. _They become a part of them?_ "Many abilities can be mastered to a point they can be activated at will. Blaze, Anger Point, and Guts, are examples of this."

"Chlorophyll will, over time, adjust the user's body to store solar energy at all times without the Pokemon ordering it. With enough training they require no more Vitamin D than any other Pokemon," Mrs. Mitchell told them reaching out to pet Willow. The Bulbasaur sniffed her hand for a moment, then let the nurse rub her. "Usually Chlorophyll boosts a Pokemon's speed to three times its speed at night. Cow Bulbasaur are about twice as fast as they are at night."

"They absorb less sunlight?" Ash inquired his eyes narrowing. _Their bulbs shouldn't be that small._

"Nothing like that. They use the stored sunlight in a different way," she explained, reaching into one of her many pouches slowly, "Rather than Synthesis or even greater speed, their solar energy is put into the offensive." She pulled out a small candy. Ash stiffened, his eyes widening. Solar energy into attacking power? "Yes… they've evolved to use Solarbeam masterfully," Mrs. Mitchell said, extending the candy to the Bulbasaur. The nurse smiled once she took the candy. Ash leaned back in his chair, overwhelmed. _Does this mean her talent is in her Chlorophyll? Either way, this changes everything! I'll have to scrap a few strategies. Or maybe I should just start over?_

Mrs. Mitchell grunted as she forced herself to stand. "As I thought Samuel wouldn't tell you such a thing, no, he's always thought his students should be entirely independent," the nurse shook her head. "I've known that man since I started here, some thirty years ago, he hasn't changed much. Still so determined to do things on his own…"

"I don't think that's a bad thing," Ash responded immediately. The nurse gave him a searching look.

"It isn't, but taking anything to an extreme is dangerous in my experience," Mrs. Mitchell murmured, her eyes glazing over. A quiet coo made her snap from her thoughts. A pink oval shaped Pokemon with rabbit like ears, a creamy white belly and large green eyes. The Wigglytuff blinked at him. She waved a short arm and smiled.

"Hello there, Giggles," Ash smiled at the ancient Wigglytuff. _If she's here, then that means some Pokemon are getting carried away or something?_ Giggles was more than just another healing fairy. The old fairy was easily the strongest Pokemon in the center, and now that Giovanni was gone, likely in the city. Gore bellowed a greeting that the fairy returned happily. "Wait!" he called when they turned to stride away.

"Ash, it's been lovely to see you, but I have-"

"Thanks," Ash murmured before turning to watch his Pokemon's train.

"You're welcome," she responded, looking at him as though he'd said something odd. Mrs. Mitchell smiled, "Have a good day Ash."

"Yeah, you too."

Xxxxxx

Viridian city hadn't changed much in the two years or so since he'd been here. It almost reminded him of a larger version of Pallet in the less populated suburban areas. _Or maybe a more lukewarm Pewter?_ Ash was greatly reminded of cities like Cerulean and Celadon when in the busier parts of the city. The gray sidewalks bustled with life as people and their small Pokemon navigated the city. The honking of passing cars and the occasional curse from drivers was enough to make Willow grimace at times.

It was considerably less populated than Celadon, which meant he could walk with the girls and Hellfire but it was less welcoming in some ways too. In Celadon it seemed there was a tree in front on every street, flowers in every apartment window, and Pidgey singing as they fed from bird feeders. _Not to mention that gigantic greenhouse Erika adores._

Ash felt Pewter and Celadon were centuries apart. The City of Rainbows, as Celadon was sometimes called, was famous for the renewable energy it developed. In the busier parts of Pewter, that he had largely avoided, people either walked where they needed to go, or they biked, or rode a Pokemon. _I guess that would make Viridian the midway point?_

Ash waved at an old woman who passed him on the back of a cheerful Ponyta. There weren't many buildings that reached the sky yet, and a few of the shop owners greeted him when he walked by, but - "Guh!" the trainer covered his nose when a putrid trailer with bellowing cattle drove past them. Ash waited several seconds before uncovering himself. The trainer glanced at his Pokemon.

"Well, at least you know what grass and all that other green stuff does to the bellies of cattle," Ash said with a chuckle. Hellfire whined while Willow extended her vines to cover her nose. The trainer laughed. "Did you think it made their Razor Leaves come in faster?" Ash inquired with a teasing grin. "That eating a flower would help their Sweet Scent?"

Grace swatted his leg lightly. "Always ruining my fun… the place I wanted to show you is right up here," he uttered pointing at the restaurant, "Mrs. Smith's! Mom said it was great when she came here, and it's been getting famous." Willow scrunched up her face in thought. "You realize she hasn't always been in Hoenn, right?"

"You did think that, didn't you?" Ash snickered. The Bulbasaur puffed out her full cheeks. Hellfire panted happily. "Dunno what you're laughing about. You're the only Pokemon I've ever heard of who's gotten his head stuck in a toilet bowl before!" Hellfire whined and kicked a small rock. "Don't be a brat or you won't get any seconds," Ash warned, smirking darkly. The dog whimpered. Grace hissed quietly in a manner similar to snickering. "Ah, here we go!" _Looks like we got here before the lunch rush._ Mrs. Smith's was a large restaurant built from black bricks. The giant sign on the right side of the restaurant's roof displayed its name in bold red letters.

"Just the four of us," the trainer said once they reached the restaurant. The doorman glanced at his Pokemon before looking at him expectantly. "Ah, right!" Ash muttered, reaching for Dexter. He flashed the Pokedex and the man opened the door.

The Graveler next to the man glared at them suspiciously as they passed it. He tightened his hold on Hellfire's leash when red eyes appeared in the man's shadow. _Ghastly? No, a Misdreavus. And there's a Pidgeotto on the streetlight half a block away too. Clever. A year ago, I wouldn't have even noticed her._ He stepped through the door.

Ash shut his eyes. The moment the door shut, pleasant scents assaulted the team, beef, pork, and Oran berries were the ones he could distinguish, but he knew there were countless others. Hellfire drooled and Willow shuffled in place. Even Grace was looking as though she were straining to keep her composure as the aromas washed over her like a gentle wave.

 _If Gore was here my wrist would be broken._ The trainer grimaced when Hellfire took a step forward, a wild gleam in his eyes and panting like he'd sprinted across the city. Ash returned the dog Pokemon immediately. "You can come out once I have the food," he told the shaking Pokeball. The red and white capsule shook twice, then calmed. _It's a good thing Gore's mostly blind anyway._ Pokemon could see and hear to a degree, but smell was non-existent while in their Pokeball.

Ash shuddered at the thought of the boar being able to smell Mrs. Smith's kitchen. The doorman and his Graveler would die horrific deaths if they got between Gore and food. A hungry Piloswine made a bloodthirsty Houndoom look as gentle as Giggles. He checked his partner's orb. The trainer sighed once he saw the boar was sleeping. _He could probably sleep through a hurricane right now._ Willow poked his belly urgently. "Right, right, we should find a seat," Ash muttered tugging on the bill of his hat. Grace poked his leg.

The trainer regarded her with a grunt. The Vulpix pointed past the black booths of other customers. A small hand darted above the head of an unusually tall dark-skinned fellow. Ash blinked. A familiar pink scarf flapped above the man's shoulder. "That's-" Grace tugged him hard enough to make him stumble. Willow nudged him too. "Fine! Fine!" he cried as he led them toward the hopping girl. "Oh, yeah! You should go in too," Ash said. Willow glanced at the line nervously before nodding.

"How've ya been?" Janine chirped, "We've been great! Gary's got seven badges now and Crowie evolved!" she told him as she bent down to greet his Grace.

 _Well, I was attacked by an Onix who's descended from this "Prehnite" guy that a weirdly strong Clefable is friends with. The same Clefable thinks the League could be destroyed, and I don't know what to do with that. Then I got lost in that cursed forest for so long that Gore overheated and couldn't use his ice, then there's this Pinsir using lunatic who tried to rob a little kid. And a swarm of Beedrill decided to murder Hellfire and Grace, for no real reason other than their typing. Which means we all had to fight them off of course._ "I've been good," Ash decided with a shrug. "King's been a Kingler for a little over a year now," he added running his fingers over the crab's capsule.

"Oh?" she blinked. "That's great!" the kunoichi beamed. Ash raised a brow. _Girls think differently after all. Ah well, I can still goad Gary later._ "Hey Ash! Hold this for me!" Janine told him while extending a small piece of paper. He blinked _._ "Wait extra bloody Tauros steak? What the hell is this?" Ash muttered. Vulpix's ears shot up faster than her Quick Attack. "We don't eat Pokemon." Her ears fell. Willow cooed, relieved. Ash rolled his eyes before turning back to Janine.

"What's this supposed to be?" Ash demanded, looking up from the sheet. In the kunoichi's place was an Ivysaur plushy. On it was another note. _Need to go to the bathroom. Thanks for getting the food!_ "Well, we're getting the food then," Ash sighed and took the kunoichi's place in line. The brown-haired woman who had been behind Janine glared at him.

The trainer held up Hellfire's Pokeball when she drew breath. The woman's small Meowth hissed at them. "I'll tell my Piloswine your Meowth is his dinner," the boy added as he reached for his trainer's belt. Meowth squeaked before burrowing its face in the woman's shoulder. The woman glared, but took a step back. Ash turned around with a huff. "You could have helped." Grace glanced at him disinterestedly, then went back to preening her paws.

After far too much time standing in a line that stretched far too long, Ash was able to place their orders. "Did she mention where they were sitting?" he asked, turning to Grace. The Vulpix's eyes narrowed. She yapped. "Didn't think so," Ash muttered. He scowled as he scoured the restaurant for his brother. _No Pokemon?_ Ash's eyes widened when he saw the sign above the door on the restaurant's side. _Trainer's Court. Has it really been that long since I ate out?_ "C'mere." The Vulpix hissed annoyed as he tugged her to the door.

Grace glared at him until she saw the door. She huffed, but increased her pace. The trainer did a double take. _Did… did she just read the sign?_ Ash's eyes darted between the vixen and the glowing red sign. _No, she might be smart enough, but with her personality, her a year isn't enough time._

Ash flinched and Grace hissed as the blaring sun assaulted their vision. He blinked rapidly in an effort to remove the yellow spots from his eyes. A dog Pokemon barked furiously and his eyes snapped open. A little orange and black dog to his right bared its teeth. Grace hissed back, but to his shock, could barely open one of her eyes.

The Growlithe's trainer barked a command at it, but the dog ignored it. King materialized in a flash of scarlet. Growlithe yelped, slamming his three nailed paws into the ground. The Kingler eyed the dog disinterestedly. Growlithe, who Ash now realized stood at about a fourth the height a mature Growlithe should be, whimpered. The trainer patted King's shell. "Sorry for making a shield outta you."

King glanced at him irritably. Counting Samurai this was the second time in three days the crab had been called out in such a situation. "Sorry," Ash offered his eye twitching. The Kingler hissed. Growlithe began to whine again when Grace glared at him balefully.

"I'm so sorry!" the Growlithe's owner, a balding man of considerable height, said, "This is his first time out and his first time meeting another fire-type," the man explained lifting the pup by his nape onto one of his broad shoulders. "He didn't hurt them at all, right?"

"They're fine, and don't worry about it. Everyone has a rough first step," Ash responded shrugging. "What? Don't give me that look. No one got hurt, so drop it." Grace growled, the fur on the back of her neck raising before continuing to glare at the pup. He waved off the Silver-level Gym Trainer and his Slowbro. _This must be a pretty popular place to need two Silver-Levels here. Even more impressive since they're from Viridian's Gym._ The doorman was likely a Yellow-Level trainer from the Gym as well.

"My partner's a Swinub, so I understand," Ash continued. He received a look of sympathy from the balding man. Grace yipped, her anger forgotten in favor of Gore possibly being teased. After a final apology from the older trainer, and a half-hearted whine from what was likely his child's first Pokemon, the Slowbro and its trainer returned to their seats.

"Do. Not. Provoke. It," Ash hissed. King gurgled and gave him an innocent look. The trainer recalled him. He was not going to prison because King wanted to fight a well-trained Slowbro. _Although… It would be a great fight._ Silver level was the highest of the ranks a trainer could achieve within cities other than the 1st trainer, the chief of police, and the Gym Leader, so the man had to have been fairly experienced. "Do you think we could take one of them," the trainer inquired.

The Vulpix narrowed her eyes, considering the Slowbro and Butterfree carefully before snorting. _Maybe?_ At his raised brow, she lifted her paw to Gore and King's capsules. Ash hummed. _They could for sure, but she doesn't know if she, Willow and Hellfire can?_ The gap in strength between the team had shrunk drastically, though Gore and King were still far more powerful than the others. Gore and King's work ethic and love of fighting meant that getting the group to stand shoulder to shoulder would probably take another year at the least.

 _What does it say about me that there's still this gap?_ _I've raised Gore his whole life and King is talented but shouldn't a great trainer have a closer gap between team members?_ He blinked. _Karen and Hellfang excluded._ Ash shook his head. He could worry about that later. He needed to find a seat first.

The trainer's court of the restaurant was rather simple. The trainers themselves, sat underneath large, white umbrellas while their Pokemon lounged around them on the grass. There was a sizeable pool on each side of the about thirty-yard court for Pokemon that needed to be in water, and a few bag dispensers for any droppings. Having so many Pokemon out at once was excellent for business, but it could be risky.

There were always going to be trainers who brought their Pokemon out to eat before they were ready. In some instances, a predatory Pokemon could be eating peacefully and they would be attacked by herbivores whose instincts had overcome their reason. Because of these factors Gym Trainers were a necessity for any Pokemon friendly restaurant.

His mother had often been frustrated that the mayor of Pallet still felt it had no need of a Gym. Without a Gym, Delia would have to turn to trainers who were much less experienced to make her Gym open to Pokemon. That step would be necessary if she wanted to reach the upper echelon of her industry. Ash wasn't always fond of the mayor.

Grace tapped his thigh. "It's just like you to cause a commotion the moment you come in," Gary said crossing his arms over his chest.

"Hmph, it's just like you to stand and watch your only brother get charged by a Pokemon without backing him up," Ash retorted with a snort.

"I knew it'd be fine. Besides, I have a nicer sister," he shrugged.

"Asshole."

"Pig handler," Gary responded before turning around and gesturing for Ash to follow.

"You enjoy this don't you?" Grace gave him an innocent look. _Too bad there's a demon behind that cute face. Actually, that might be true for most girls._ "Yo!" Ash greeted. Aria and Saur waved back while Eevee, and Crowie squeaked. _Hopper's too big to be out now? Makes sense, King's at least twenty times heavier than when he was a Krabby._ The trainer and his Vulpix froze when Tunnels raised a large paw in greeting. "He's the size of a young capybara! What the hell have you been feeding him?" Ash demanded as the other boy took his seat. The mole had to be at least a couple feet tall and was as wide as a small man.

"He finds his own food," Gary shrugged. Tunnels padded up to him, prompting Grace to shift into a defensive stance. The giant mole Pokemon regarded him for a moment with large brown eyes. Then two heads popped out of his sides. Ash cried backpedaling and Grace leaped several feet into the air. Tunnels chortled and Aria hooted, clapping her hands together. Gary snorted. "Running from a mole?" he asked, smirking.

"S-shut up!" Ash snapped panting lightly. Saur gave the mole a dark look that Ash had thinking he'd been on the receiving end of the joke too. Grace's golden eyes became slits. "No!" Ash knelt quickly and pinned her by the nape. The vixen hissed. "If you don't calm down, you'll have to wait to get your food like Gore and King!" Ash snapped wincing _. Her body temperature is raising too much._ Grace stiffened before narrowing her eyes. "It was a joke," he said rising.

Tunnels eyed the fuming vixen with suspicion. Aria hooted and the mole trotted back to her side. The Magmar glared at the Vulpix receiving one in return. Saur growled quietly, forcing the fire-types to lower their temperature. "We're awfully proud aren't we," Gary murmured watching Grace carefully.

"You have no idea," Ash sighed in relief when he sat. "Never tell her she'll get fat if she doesn't stop eating," the trainer warned shuddering. _And never compare her eating habits to Gore's._ "You do not want to test her."

"I believe you," Gary said, glancing at him. "Ash… there's something we need to talk about," he began glancing at him nervously. The trainer's brow rose. _Gary nervous?_ After the incident with the Scyther he'd become far less arrogant, and even shy for a brief time. Ash hadn't seen him nervous since he'd moved past the attack. "Where to start, well, here," he shoved a newspaper and a large book he'd grabbed from beneath the table into Ash's hands.

"Ya know, I get that I didn't exactly study as much as I explored, but I don't think this is worth being dramatic over," Ash pointed out while unfurling the newspaper.

"Wha- no! Just look at the paper!" Gary snapped facepalming.

"Fine, fine," the trainer shrugged. "I still think you're turning into Daisy though." His brother huffed and rolled his eyes. The headline read: Legendary Fossil Pokemon sited over Grandpa Canyon! The picture depicted a great, gray flying beast with a tail that ended in an arrow like shape and two horns on the back of its head. "Aerodactyl?" Ash breathed. "A wild Aerodactyl in Kanto," he leaned back in his chair a dazed look in his eyes. Aerodactyl was arguably the strongest of the fossil Pokemon, and was easily the most prized of them.

According to legend, the Sinnoh region was on the verge of being destroyed by dragons that ruled, space, time, and the realm of ghosts. Wherever the Dragon of Time and Steel soared buildings aged to the point they collapsed. The Dragon of Space and Water created portals that could reflect a Pokemon's attack at their allies. The Dragon of Shadows and Chaos would have attacks pass through it one second, then unleash draconic techniques of a strength that equaled the Dragon King, who eventually slew it. They were more than Pokemon; they were virtually gods in the flesh. They were unstoppable.

Until the Grand Tamer and his team; an Aerodactyl, Clefable, and Empoleon challenged them. His mother told him the events of the story happened three-thousand years ago. He'd almost dismissed it as a folk tale long ago. His grandfather often told him that all legends had a grain of truth to them. He hadn't understood the professor's disappointment. A part of Ash had assumed the eccentric old man's sanity was becoming even more questionable. _But there's the Blank Century._

The Blank Century was the eighty-eight-year period the people of Sinnoh had very few records on. What was known was that a hero and his team of three stopped a great catastrophe that had nearly destroyed the region. Unless a master-level leader was there, Hellfang and The Fog could easily destroy a city's Gym if they wanted to. It wasn't absurd to think three feuding Pokemon of that level could destroy a region.

"Right and that's not all," Gary said, pointing to the picture beneath it. A horde of Pokemon that had brown shells that strongly resembled a dome, glowing red eyes, and four yellow legs. _Kabuto_. His eyes widened. _Even a few Kabutops!_ On the top of the right corner of the photo was a white shell that resembled a snail's. _That's… an Omanyte?_ There were a few flocks of Aerodactyl in Sinnoh that many claimed were descended from the partner of their greatest hero. The others were supposed to be completely extinct.

"This isn't the only oddity either. When Janine found out the Great Kangaskhan left Fuschia she-"

"Reminded you of what happened the time you ratted her out to a nurse." Ash stiffened to the point his neck hurt. Aria squawked, flailing wildly and falling onto her back. Tunnels sprang up with his claws glowing. Saur's eyes twitched. Grace snickered until Ash snapped to her while baring his teeth in a snarl. "I always get great reactions!" the kunoichi laughed as she leaned over his brother's chair.

"Handled it with great dignity," Gary murmured a blush coming to his cheeks. Ash stared at the pair wide-eyed. _What the hell did she do to him?_

"She most certainly did!" Janine agreed, sliding into the chair next to his brother. "We're letting him know 'bout the weird stuff," she said sounding approving. "Neat. If all of us ask, I'm sure we'll get one of them to spill the beans." A pink, quadrupedal Pokemon that stood noticeably taller than Tunnels, but was not nearly as broad and had a long white tipped tail nudged her leg. Ash's brows rose. _Damn it, there's a ninja Slowpoke now?_

"Get back to what you were going to say a minute ago!" Ash snapped rubbing his temple. _Living fossil Pokemon just showed up? So they weren't extinct? Or did they just escape from a restoration center?_

"Right, um," Gary began coughing into his fist, "Hellfang, his pack, and every wild fire and dark-type they come across, migrated to the wilds between Kanto and Sinnoh."

"Including that gigantic pack of vixen with a really strong Ninetales!" Janine put in rubbing the Slowpoke's snout. Crowie narrowed her eyes and hurried over to them, using the tips of her wings like front legs. The small Golbat butted her trainer's hand until Janine scratched her behind her ears. The kunoichi hummed, "I think they found them a few miles from Mt. Moon? She's something for sure. She leads a pack that has at least five Ninetales in it! And we heard from Uncle that Tiny had a hard time with her." Ash choked and Grace's ears perked up.

"Master Bruno did say Tiny had a fever just a day before that though," Gary said making Ash choke again and Grace's eyes bulge. _That's the strongest Primeape ever for you, I guess. Even Hellfang would have to try to beat her._ The brown-haired boy glanced at him with a brow raised. Ash waved him off. "Lately there have been skirmishes between Hellfang's super herd and the giant Onix of Mt. Hideaway," Gary continued

"He's hunting stone snakes?" the trainer's brow furrowed. Onix had no flesh for the carnivorous fire-types to feed upon. Even their digestive system was made of rock. After a moment, it hit him. "The Pokemon the giant Onix are protecting," Ash muttered. The others nodded, their expressions grim. _The Onix of the Mt. Hideaway chain that linked Kanto and Sinnoh against Hellfang's_ army _of dark and fire Pokemon? That would mean he has Sneasel and maybe weaker Tyranitar under his protection as well, so there's no telling how things will go down._ Ash shuddered.

Hellfang wasn't willing to hunt what he saw as pups and he probably wouldn't hunt adults, if only for Karen's sake, but those titanic Onix wouldn't care. They'd kill as many as they needed to feed the Geodude in their care if it came to it. There wasn't a force on earth that could resolve this catastrophe without civilian casualties. "Why?"

"We don't know, but I think we all know someone who does," Gary uttered. Janine looked up to the sky with wonder. "I meant my grandfather," he explained, rubbing his temples. She blinked. Then she beamed

"Food's coming!" she cried, jumping to her feet and sending the Slowpoke rolling onto its back. "Sorry, Duchess!" Janine told the Pokemon while bending to help her up. Duchess gave her an annoyed look. _She's not a young Slowpoke after all._ Younger members of the species were about as intelligent as a rock. They even forgot to respond to pain at times.

Even Gore had never been that simple, and he'd tried to eat a rock because it had hot sauce on it. "She, uh, seems a bit more easily distracted than I remember," Ash whispered.

"You haven't a clue," Gary sighed.

Xxxxxxxxx

We're nearing the end of part one! In case you haven't guessed I'm a bit burned out, that's why i've been taking longer to update, so I'll be taking time off to write another story. Because I don't actually do breaks. I'm an addict. Feed the addiction.


	28. Chapter 28

Everyone remember when I named King's giant claw hammer and smaller one sword?

I don't own Pokemon. Please support the official release.

One day I will learn to post without deleting previous things. Until then, you guys are reading for free so… Your move.

Episode 28: Viridian Gym

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"Ah, it's you, so you've returned," Ash said narrowing his eyes. "I thought I told you not to show your face to me again."

"Um... son?" his mother stared at him wide-eyed.

"Kidding," the trainer grinned.

"It's been nearly two years since you've seen your mother and this is how you greet her?" Delia asked, sighing and giving him an exasperated look. "Why can't you just say "hey mom" like your brother and sister?"

"My way is more fun," Ash told her with a shrug. "Well, later!" Willow butted his belly making him grunt. "What? She knows I was joking!"

"Gore's always been something else, I'm a bit relieved to see your Bulbasaur has a strong presence too," Delia confessed smiling.

"Yeah, sure." Ash would have preferred another Pokemon more like Hellfire himself. The Bulbasaur likely guessed his thoughts, judging by her admonishing look. "How've you been? You went to that famous Wailmer's Pail restaurant or whatever right?"

"Oh, it was fantastic!" Delia gushed her amber eyes coming alive with light, "The food was some of the best in the world, I'm sure! The finest blends of spice I've ever had on fish. The service was patient and warm, a smile and a bow for a greeting, my drink never ran out!" Ash smiled warmly as she listed the restaurant's qualities. He didn't understand half of what she was saying or what her enthusiastic gestures meant. The trainer found he didn't care.

Five years ago his Aunt Mary died, and his Uncle Garrett changed. Ash's smile faded slightly. " _Or maybe we never really knew him," his grandfather had muttered, his face set in a deep scowl._ He'd never been a great father, or an uncle at all really, still him simply leaving one day had stunned them all. Oak still took on lengthy missions for the league occasionally, and was the leading researcher on the bond between Pokemon and their partners. It fell to his mother to take care of Daisy and Gary.

She ran the Pallet House; made sure each Pokemon in the family was tended to properly, kept his grandfather from working himself until he collapsed, and taken care of Ash and his siblings. This trip had taken the three of them two years of odd jobs, and a portion of Daisy's winnings from the Indigo League to fund. Seeing his mother happy made it worth it. "So what about you? Your sister says you've earned four badges from the Eight!"

"I did and I've been good," Ash responded shrugging. "We've-" a yawn interrupted him. "Sorry 'bout this," he said, lifting Willow onto his shoulder, "She's been really tired lately."

"It's fine," his mother told him her smile fading slightly. "You'll be coming home for a bit after your next challenge right?" her cautiously hopeful tone made him pause. _Does she think I wouldn't?_

"Yeah, I promise," Ash uttered with a nod.

"Have a good night! And don't forget to change your-" Ash shut off the videophone. Willow cocked her head to the side.

"You don't need to know," the trainer told her as he led them to their room. The dinosaur poked his cheek insistently. She huffed when she realized Ash wasn't budging on the matter. Willow hopped from his arms once they reached their room. "Are you pouting? You've gotten quite spoiled," Ash stated with a snort. He opened the door. "She's becoming spoiled right, Gore?" the trainer called. The only response the swine gave was a twitch of a floppy brown ear.

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You want to train now? Really?" Ash inquired his tone exasperated. Willow ignored him as she trotted out into the training ground. She sat on her haunches beneath a large oak tree and stared at the moon. "You woke me up at midnight for moon gazing," Ash growled glaring at the tiny dinosaur's back. Again she didn't respond. The trainer scowled and strode in front of her, "Are you even listening?"

Willow peered up at him with vacant eyes. Ash swallowed and knelt. "C'mon, say something! Want some berries?" After several seconds without a response he rose. The trainer strode to the white steps of the center. Ash glanced back at her, some small part of him hopeful Willow was playing a cruel joke. It was a foolish thing to hope for.

The trainer had only just reached the stairs when the scent of Oran berries greeted his nose. Ash sniffed the air a few times to confirm it. _A pie?_ He turned around slowly. "Willow?" Ash breathed. The Bulbasaur cooed, then the grass seemed to sway as if in a dance. She took a deep breath and began to sing.

The song was the eerie rustling of leaves on a moonless night as Willow's bulb shifted to a shade so dark he couldn't see it. It made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Impossibly, her bulb looked to have become even darker and the trainer felt a deep despair engulf him. Then the song fell until it was as quiet as a whisper carried on the wind.

The leaves on the old oak began to rustle and whistle. Slowly, the song grew stronger, more confident somehow, and the light of a rising sun emerged at Willow's bulb. The hue slithered down the length of her bulb in tiny rivers until the countless streams became a lake of warmth and light. The dinosaur's pink eyes shut as she approached the crescendo. Leaves and pink petals manifested from her flanks, whirling around the saurian as though she was the eye of a hurricane until Ash could no longer see her. The song's volume fell and, one by one, the petals and leaves floated to the earth.

Ash licked his lips and took a step forward. The saurian stood at about a foot tall. Her previously impressive canines were now exposed in an under bite. Her bulb had become a light pink flower that was closed in a manner reminiscent of a flower waiting for the morning's sun greeting. Her light green skin had several dark green spots that reminded him of the Viridian Forest's sea of leaves. At her sides were what appeared to be leaves from a tree in the tropics, which were almost as long as she was tall. Her legs still appeared stubby and her belly a bit chubby, but he knew the thick limbs were far more powerful than they appeared. "Ivysaur, huh," Ash murmured kneeling. Willow sat on her haunches and cocked her head to the side. She crooned.

Xxxxxxxxx

The Viridian Gym was a giant beige building that had ten square shaped bushes on each side of the white path that led to the Gym's entrance. There was a five-foot statue of Champion Yellow, and a much taller statue of her legendary Golem, built on the impressive yard in front of the Gym. She was one of their greatest Champions, easily deserving of this and the many other honors bestowed upon her. Champion Flora, or as she was better known, Yellow was the one who created the Pokemon Center as they knew it today and brokered the first peace treaty among the major regions.

It was a bit odd to see the Champion who was rather sensitive about her height immortalized in such a way. Willow poked his cheek, then gestured to the bushes and the sidewalk. "Yes, they're very pretty," Ash said, his eyes focused on the Gym as he walked. He'd noticed that there wasn't a leaf out of place. Giovanni had taken pride in maintaining a pristine gym in all aspects. Ash heard that the replacement had scrambled to return the gym to its former glory, but had failed until recently. Even with the last twelve years of work, it was vastly inferior to the other members of the Eight.

The trainer sighed. One man's ambition led to the death of over five thousand league personnel and the end of the beloved Champion Agatha, who led their region through a horrible depression and two wars. _And it cost us the most promising leader we've had since Dreyfus_. Ash regarded the statue in front of the Gym. _I wonder if I'll ever be remembered like that?_ Ash shook his head. There was nothing to wonder. Future generations would read about him with a greater wonder than even the founder of the first league. _Lyra, Dreyfus, Brandon, Karen, I'll crush Team Rocket. My team will surpass all of yours if it kills me._ Ash glared at Flora's statue. _And you too, Yellow._ He smirked. _Well, I'm already taller than you._

His Ivysaur quavered urgently and patted his cheek with a paw. Ash hummed distractedly. She pushed his chin lightly. "Wha-?" Ash froze. Black eyes gazed back at him from within one of the trees at the entrances' sides.

 _A Tangrowth!_ An average specimen of the tropical species soundly defeated Gore in their Celadon Gym challenge. A few dark, green vines wiggled toward him. Willow growled quietly and bared her canines. Tangrowth squeaked and retracted its vines. He didn't blame it. Those canines had evolved to crack open stubborn berries and nuts. "Easy there girl," Ash murmured raising a hand to pat her head gently. "It's not from a violent species."

Willow glanced at him uncertainly before slowly sliding from his shoulder onto his shoulder. Her vines wrapped around his chest as she climbed to situate herself behind his head, then into his new backpack. Ash nearly sighed. The dinosaur didn't seem to understand that being carried would be harder on him now. Or she simply didn't care. _It's a good thing I'm using mostly capsules these days._

The trainer pushed the double doors open lightly. The Tangrowth would doubtlessly be trained to be even more docile than the majority of its species, but he wasn't taking any chances. Willow flattened herself against his head and watched the vine Pokemon carefully. _Is Gore's paranoia rubbing off on her?_ In the wild the Bulbasaur line were prey, so paranoia wasn't a bad trait to possess. It always made a trainer's job more difficult though. Ash blinked. _It's possible those instincts are what makes her so shy. Can't believe it took this long for me to think about_ _this._

The saurian patted his cheek. "Right." Ash strode to the front desk. He frowned when he saw a single woman seated there. "Is the Gym Leader accepting challenges yet?" he asked, his tone uncertain. He always woke early on the day of his challenges. Some gyms didn't receive challenges until midday. His grandfather told him that many leaders would become complacent, and were more vulnerable in the morning. If there was even a tiny chance the Gym Leader would be disadvantaged further, Ash would pounce on it.

The mousy secretary squeaked and jumped. Ash's eyes widened as the woman's rolling chair sent her flailing and falling onto her back. "Huh. Do ya think we should help her?" Ash asked, blinking. Willow cocked her head to the side, then snorted uncertainly. "You okay?"

"I- yes, yes, I'm fine," the secretary uttered as she pulled herself to her feet. Then she flushed, "How can I help you, sir?"

"Ash of Pallet. I'm here to challenge your boss," the trainer stated, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You're here to challenge Mr. Blake? Why would you want to fight the manager?" she asked with a blink.

Ash stared at her for a moment, "His boss."

"Oh right," the secretary laughed, "You can just go through that door then! Just go all the way down the hall."

"Thanks," Ash told her before turning around. "She was kinda out there," he said once they were through the door. Willow warbled. The trainer came to a stop in front of the double doors. "Do you remember the weird rule here?" he murmured. Willow cooed nervously and pressed herself into the back of his head. Ash shut his eyes. He couldn't afford to have her holding herself back. Pep talks weren't something he was great at though. "Do you think I'm a bad trainer, Willow?"

She stiffened. "Have faith in my strength if you can't believe in your own. I know you can win this for us." Willow remained still for several moments. Ash shut his eyes. _Was it not enough?_ He reached for his Gore's Pokeball. Then she licked his cheek. Relief flooded him like a dam breaking. "Ready?" he smirked. Willow warbled in a tone that was nearly confident. Ash entered the Viridian Gym's field.

The field was similar to Pewter's. Large stones as tall as Ash himself littered the fifty-yard long field with several smaller stones scattered between them. _Twenty yards across, eh?_ Unlike the Pewter Gym the field's floor wasn't made of rock. To the right of the field was a large pool that Giovanni built for his mighty Cloyster. The Rocket Boss was a traitor, but his mastery over all aspects of battle was undeniable.

Ash swallowed. _I think I'd like a Cloyster more._ In the pool was a serpentine Pokemon with incredibly thick blue scales and teeth nearly two-inches long. The sea serpent was almost twenty feet long and was broader than five men. It also had five-inch long white whiskers on the side of its face and a three spiked white crown above its head. "Gyarados," Ash whispered. Willow tensed. Then she bolted.

The trainer moved faster than he had ever in his life to grab her sides. "It's okay! Look at the whiskers, it's a boy!" The Ivysaur continued running like her life depended on it. "Um, you're not on the ground," Ash told her his brows raising. Willow's pace slowed as she looked down. The dinosaur cocked her head to the side. Then she swallowed and glanced at the Gyarados nervously. "Male Gyarados won't hurt you," Ash assured her quietly.

Willow looked at him like he was the most ridiculous creature she had ever seen. Ash had to admit that saying a five thousand pound super predator wouldn't harm her was a bit odd. "What I mean is, the ones that can fall into a rampage cause you look at 'em wrong are the girls," the trainer explained. Willow fidgeted. "It's fine, trust me, it's trained," Ash said while placing her onto his head. "Why else would it be out?" The Ivysaur cooed uncertainly, but relaxed slightly.

Gore's Pokeball wiggled. He placed a hand over it. _How much did he hear?_ Clearly he hadn't heard the beast's species or he'd be out of his capsule already. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be much of an overreaction. Males were as aggressive, quick-tempered, and territorial as ground Pokemon. The Females could only be described as savages.

Wave had fathered many children, but he'd only raised the Pokemon he'd adopted. Magikarp grew ten times their birth size within a month, as such, they required a massive amount of meat in the first month of their lives. To the point that they could die if they weren't fed properly every few hours. It wasn't unheard of for a young mother's entire clutch to starve before she returned from a hunt. Or for a clutch to turn on one another in a desperate bid for survival. Over thousands of generations the mothers learned how to ensure their Magikarp would survive.

They killed the fathers near the offspring's hatching. This betrayal provided their children with six-thousand pounds of meat. A desperate mother was treacherous regardless of the species. A desperate mother from one of the strongest species in the world could come close to killing a future Champion's partner.

"You come here to fight us?" an abrasive masculine voice demanded in what was likely intended to be an authoritative tone. It reminded him of Samurai. Ash scowled and turned to the Gym Leader. _Us? There can be more than one leader?_ "Well, did you?" the leader demanded. The man stood on a gray platform that towered above Ash and Willow. He was a short and stout man that appeared to be in his early twenties. The leader wore a sleeveless gray shirt designed to display his muscular arms.

"Yeah!" Ash responded striding up to the field. His eyes narrowed. To the man's right was a brunette with shoulder length hair in a yellow sleeveless shirt. To his left was a scowling dark-haired man whose hair was combed to his right. The man wore a red shirt under a red vest. Both of the trainers looked to be of the same age as the Gym Leader. A silver sash adorned each of their waists. _Silver-level Aces?_ "I like the sashes better than Gym Trainer's armband," the trainer said. Willow cooed.

"Then I, Fergus, accept your challenge-"

"You had the last one," the irritated man cut in, "I start."

"Corey's right," the woman pointed out.

"But Neesha," Fergus whined, "that guy sucked! I can't get my blood boiling at all like that!"

"Rules are rules," she responded, shaking her head. Corey gave her an appreciative look and stepped in front of Fergus. His face fell into a neutral expression.

"This will be a three on three set match!" the referee shouted, making Ash and Willow jump. _When did he get there?_ His eyes narrowed. _Wait set? No substituting for me then._ "The challenger must first reveal one of the Pokemon he will be using!" the balding man continued. He gestured toward Ash.

"It'll be my Ivysaur!" the challenger declared. Willow curled into herself when all eyes turned to her. Including Gyarados and the members Slowpoke that were crawling from the pool. Ash patted her side lightly. The only reason Staryu and Starmie could make a barrier as strong as the one in the Cerulean Gym was because they had Macy's Starmie anchoring it. Slowbro and Slowpoke had far stronger barriers, but they were built for physical combat unlike Mr. Mime.

The referee released two Mr. Mime. _That answers that._ The mime Pokemon had two pink spots on their cheeks and one on its midsection that covered the majority of its chest and belly. The white gloves they wore had a red patch on the tip of each finger served as their foci. Ash had known his mother's Mr. Mime, Mimi, his entire life. Which meant the five inch blue ears on the side of the psychic and fairy-type Pokemon weren't odd to him. Willow stared at them in wonder. _This is your first time getting a good luck at them, isn't it?_

"Challenger! Which Pokemon is your partner?" the referee demanded.

"My Piloswine?" Ash answered his brow furrowing.

"Excellent! You are forbidden from using it!" Ash gaped while Willow snapped from the trance the mime's ears put her under.

"Some trainers only train a couple Pokemon and completely forget the rest-"

"As a partner is usually the strongest Pokemon a trainer has, we restrict them to ensure only true trainers, those who train and care for all of their Pokemon, earn this badge," Corey interjected his eyes twitching. Fergus pouted.

"Well, shit," the trainer muttered. The Ivysaur quavered an agreement. Their strategy had just been crushed. Gore was a powerful counter to three of Willow's weaknesses.

"Challenger! Please release your Pokemon!" the referee said once the Slowbro had sauntered into place. Ash flinched. _I release first too? No matter how you look at it, this is on a completely different level compared to Celadon and Saffron._ The trainer reached for King's capsule. His arm shook when he unhooked the Pokeball. Could he defeat such an opponent without some form of advantage? Brock would have surely defeated him had Magcargo's lava not multiplied the strength of Willow's Seed Bomb. His research of the Kabutops line allowed King to defeat the shellfish. _Without that..._

Ash took a deep breath. _The rules might be rougher but my opponent isn't a titan._ Brock had been a master by the time Ash had challenged him, and Erika had recently been acknowledged as one as well. He glared at Corey and primed King's Pokeball. What was a Silver-level in comparison? King raised his claw in greeting, which Ash returned by lifting his right arm.

Corey frowned at the Kingler thoughtfully. His decision made, he released a fully grown Machoke. Machoke was a gray fighting-type Pokemon that stood five-feet tall yet was broader than the gigantic Master Bruno. The fighting-type had a reptilian face and a wide mouth that held small yet sharp teeth. Its trunk like arms had three raised red lines running along their length. The golden Power Belt around its waist gave him pause. _It's fighting us handicapped?_ Heat flared in his chest. King narrowed his eyes, likely having come to the same conclusion.

Machoke took a long look at King, then removed its Power Belt. The belt hit the ground with a thud. "King this is a fighting-type called the Superpower Pokemon-"

"Round one, Kingler versus Machoke, begin!" the referee cried. Machoke charged and swung its arm in a wide arc launching a boulder at the Kingler. King spewed a stream of bubbles into the boulder forcing it to land on his right. Machoke swiped at the crab's legs only to be blocked by his dominant claw.

King's arm took on a white hue as he swung his hammer into the fighting-type's broad chest. Machoke grunted as it was launched through the air. The fighting-type wheezed while clutching its sternum. "Roll!" Corey ordered after the Kingler began to charge a Water Pulse. King's eyes narrowed, then the attack flew. Machoke gritted its teeth and swung its arms to the side. The Water Pulse slammed into the rock behind the fighting-type, sending pebbles and dust into the air. Machoke flipped onto its feet with a grunt. Willow's eyes widened. She'd never seen a Pokemon react like that to a direct Slam.

The reptilian Pokemon eyed the Kingler carefully as it inched toward a particularly tall stone. Machoke's arms lowered slowly, its fingers twitching. Ash's eyes widened. "Guns!" King chirped before firing small streams of water at the reptilian warrior. Machoke squawked and dove behind the stone. "Don't let it recover!" Ash commanded. The Kingler surged forward with his hammer shielding him.

"Make a smokescreen! Focus Blast!" Corey commanded. The challenger's eyes widened when Machoke leaped twenty feet into the air while charging a white ball between its massive hands. King shoved his hammer into the earth and shot a large Water Gun into Machoke's chest. The reptile grunted, gasping as it was sent crashing into another stone.

"What the hell, still?" Ash growled. Machoke's Focus Blast had actually grown larger. "Whatever, Slam it!" The Kingler shrieked furiously before rushing the downed fighting-type. Willow squeaked. The trainer flinched. Then Machoke's dark eyes shot open. It snarled before launching the Focus Blast at a stone that was ahead of King.

The crab Pokemon shielded itself as the stone exploded in a shower of pebbles and a cloud dust engulfed him. "King, don't stop! It hasn't moved out at all!" Ash barked. The Kingler burst from the cloud, his hammer cocked back. Ash grinned ferally, then Machoke kicked the crab's hammer up. Its next kick sent King tumbling back end over end. The trainer gaped when Machoke flipped onto its feet. "Anchor yourself!" The Kingler's sword was consumed by Metal Claw before he jabbed it into the earth. _It's that strong_ _without an enhancement move? But a Machoke shouldn't be much stronger than a healthy Kingler, if it's stronger at all._

He turned to Machoke. There were several veins bulging on the fighting-type's legs. _Insane strength without an enhancement?_ "King, Guns!" Ash shouted. Machoke eyes widened in alarm and moved it to take cover, only to flinch and stumble when the crab's streams of water tore into its rough hide. King cocked his hammer back, a swirling orb forming over it.

The fighting-type swerved around the Water Pulse and continued its charge. "It's using Superpower!" Ash snapped when King's arm took on the hue of Slam. "Go with Sword and Shield!" King chirped a battle cry before surging the reptile with the side of his hammer held in front of him. As they neared one another his sword took on the sheen of Metal Claw. Then Machoke leaped with a trunk like leg extended.

King swerved, parrying the kick and raked a claw along his foe's back, resulting in a long red line. Machoke flinched as it landed before grunting, spinning and swinging a leg at the crab Pokemon. King had only time to brace his hammer, then the kick sent him flying off his feet. Ash grimaced after the loud crack of the crab crashing into a boulder. King hissed and fired Water Gun after Water Gun at Machoke.

The reptilian warrior crouched, then dove behind a stone. It rolled upon landing, waving its arm as it swung around the rock. A boulder flew at King, who swiped it away with his sword. Machoke cocked its arm back and King activated Slam. The Kingler slid away from the fighting-type's punch, making its eyes widen in alarm before King brought his hammer down.

Machoke flinched when the great blow came down onto its forearm. King hissed before swiping at the reptilian Pokemon with Slam. Machoke only just managed to bring its thick forearm up when the Slam crashed into it, sending it tumbling and shrieking several feet back. The Kingler cocked its dominant claw back. Ash sucked in a breath quickly. "No, use Slam!" he shouted.

"Rock Tomb!" Corey snapped. Ash's eyes narrowed as the Machoke's hands met in front of its chest. Stones flew in front of the reptilian warrior and formed a small wall. Machoke pressed its hands against the wall with a grunt. King's eyes widened in alarm his pace slowed to a near halt.

 _Like I thought, Brock's move!_ "Don't slow down!" King hesitated for only a moment before reactivating Slam. Machoke reached out to its side with a clenched fist. Then it roared, launching a boulder larger than King was tall. The crab narrowed his eyes and smacked the ground with his hammer, sending him over the stone shield, making its eyes widen. King landed next to Machoke and skidded once he hit the ground until he grabbed a stone.

Machoke shot to its feet and flipped around only to be greeted by a Metal Claw swiping across its broad chest. The fighting-type shrieked, backpedaling into its own shield. King shot a Water Gun just above the Machoke's knee, drawing a grunt and forcing it to its other knee. The crab Pokemon shrieked and leaped, cocking his hammer back.

There was a sickening crunch when King brought his hammer down onto its forearm. Machoke screamed, clutching its limp limb to its chest. King's claw shot out and enveloped its neck. Machoke froze, then it was surrounded by a scarlet light. "King," Ash said. The crab gurgled his understanding.

"Round one victor, Kingler!" the referee cried while pointing at King.

 _The Superpower Pokemon for sure. You were as impressive as I thought._ The Machop line possessed the second most brute force among fighting-types, losing only to the slower Timburr line in the far away Unova region. However, their speed was pitiful compared to the other fighting-types in Kanto and Johto.

Ancient people couldn't fathom how the family line was so successful. Ash could understand their confusion. After all, Machoke hunted equally powerful, yet far larger, and better armored ground Pokemon. Without better speed than the ground Pokemon, what could they do? The confusion was cleared when one of those ancient trainer's fighting-type mastered Superpower.

The prized fighting-type move that allowed a Pokemon to more than double their strength for a brief time. It was immensely difficult to master and incredibly strenuous on a Pokemon even after years of training. Somehow the Machop line knew it the moment they were born. Much like King's Vice Grip or Willow's Vine Whip, Machop had evolved to give their offspring a head start in the world. That amazing advantage and their honorable nature made them the most commonly used fighting Pokemon in the world.

Willow warbled once King was in front of them. The Kingler gurgled quietly. The trainer frowned. King's armor had been smashed in by the Machoke's kick. His dominant arm was slumping considerably and his right eye was half shut. "Up for another round?" King rumbled, straightening his posture. Ash looked up at Corey.

He blinked. "What the hell are they doing?" Willow tilted her head to the side while King glared. _Are they playing rock, paper, scissors?_ Finally, Neesha stepped forward with a victorious smile. Fergus pouted and crossed his arms over his chest. The woman tossed a blue Great Ball onto the field.

The Vileplume yawned and stretched its little limbs upon release. Ash gaped. Vileplume was a dark blue-skinned Pokemon with a body like the trunk of a small tree. Its most impressive feature was the gigantic pink flower on its head that held the largest petals in the world. It was said the amount of poison a Vileplume contained could be determined by the size of its petals. The Pokemon stood at about four feet tall, and its petals looked longer than it was tall. _Shit._

Vileplume was a species specialized in poison and petal manipulation. Their petal manipulation was among the best in the world, but it wasn't quite as powerful as a male Venusaur's or a Meganium's. Their poison was similarly impressive, but it wasn't quite as deadly as an Arbok's or a Muk's. It seemed to be balanced, even in its weaknesses, not being particularly vulnerable to ice like Willow, and not being as vulnerable to fire as a Parasect. It was a popular Pokemon in three regions for a very good reason. _Would've been nice to know Parasect was resistant to ice before fighting it in Celadon._ Especially since experienced members of the species were known to resist the cold to ridiculous degrees.

Ash took a calming breath. It being in its third stage didn't mean it was beyond their capacity. Each species reacted to their evolutionary stone differently after all. _No water-types use powder techniques, so we'll have to make sure to dodge. His smell is sensitive too._ Ash tugged on his hat. _I didn't realize how many advantages grass-types had over water-types._ Willow crooned quietly, watching the fully evolved grass-type carefully. "Round two! Vileplume versus Kingler begin!"

The Flower Pokemon flapped its massive petals, creating a loud sound like a violent gust of wind and releasing a yellow cloud of dust. _Pollen? Why not poison?_ "Freeze the dust!" Ash ordered. Vileplume's orange eyes curved up while Neesha clicked her tongue when King intercepted the pollen with a gust of chilly wind. Ash's eyes widened in alarm as petals shot from the flower. "Shield!" the trainer barked.

King snapped his gaze down to Vileplume, but couldn't raise his arm in time to block the torrent of petals. The crab Pokemon flinched as the petals dug into his side, then King rumbled irritably and swatted the flower's weapons away. He charged, at Vileplume making it squeak fearfully. "Sludge Wave!" Neesha ordered her smile returning.

Vileplume's belly bulged before it fired a spray of acid too wide for King to dodge. The crab's pace slowed for a moment, then it was consumed by the sheen of Harden and continued its surge. Ash and Willow grimaced when the poisonous liquid fell upon the crab, forcing bits of his shell to slide off King.

King hissed and flung his arms out, sending much of the poison flying off him. He blasted an Icy Wind into the flower's face, making it backpedal with a squeal. Then the crab Pokemon smashed their stunned foe into a stone with Slam, drawing another pained squeal. King brought his hammer overhead, his eyes narrowing as he prepared to finish Vileplume. The flower's heavy head snapped up shooting a small spray of poison at King.

The water-type shrieked and backpedaled when the spray landed in his eye. Vileplume pushed off the boulder and landed on all fours. "Ice!" Ash snapped as the flower Pokemon began to flap its petals. Green dust enveloped the crab Pokemon, making King stiffen. The Pokemon sprayed water from his dominant claw in an attempt to wash the Sleep Powder away. _Shit!_ "Slam!" the trainer barked.

King snapped to the grass-type who was trying to put distance between them. Vileplume squeaked and released a wave of petals. King was undeterred, knowing the sharp petals were of little threat. Then the petals flew to Vileplume's side and shoved it out King's path. The crab hissed irritably before turning to give chase, only for the flower Pokemon's petals to push it out of his Slam's path again. Ash gritted his teeth when the Kingler swayed after his third swiped missed.

"Seed Bomb!" Neesha ordered. Vileplume's eyes lit up as it shot several seeds into the air.

"Harden!" Ash shouted as the seeds started their descent. King blinked rapidly, the Sleep Powder's power taking hold. The seeds fell upon him and detonated consuming the shrieking crab in a yellow flash. Ash sighed once the crab's Pokeball twitched slightly in his hand, signifying King's recall.

"Round two victor Vileplume!" the referee shouted while clapping. Vileplume bowed to the referee before turning to bow to the clapping Gym Leaders.

"From now on, I'll be keeping the Pokeball out," Ash said with a shaky exhale. Willow wrapped her legs around his neck in a hug. "Thanks," he murmured patting her side lightly. He gave the referee a distinctly unimpressed look. _Can't you at least pretend not to be biased?_ Ash regarded the hopping Vileplume with narrowed eyes. _Enjoy that dance, you'll not be getting another chance anytime soon._ Hellfire materialized in a scarlet flash and Vileplume stopped dancing immediately. Ash smiled when an instinctual horror graced its face.

"Don't worry," Neesha said, her tone confident, "Just stick to the strategy, right?" The grass-type squeaked, gulping slightly as Hellfire's fangs were exposed in a yawn.

"Ready, pal?" Hellfire panted happily his long tongue hanging out of his mouth. The dog lowered his head displaying his new ram like horns and pawed at the ground. His long white nails, kicked up a tiny amount of dust. "Finish it in one shot." The dog inhaled deeply. "But don't use your Fire Fang on in it."

"Round three, Vileplume versus Houndoom begin!" Hellfire blasted a stream of flames at the grass-types, only for the flower Pokemon to push itself out of the path of the fire with its petals.

 _That move again!_ "Fire Spin!" Ash barked. The Houndoom growled, his brown eyes coming alive with blood thirst before he spat a ball of fire at the Vileplume. The flower Pokemon squeaked horrified and moving to push itself out of the attack's path again.

"Face it head on!" Neesha snapped. Vileplume gulped before shooting petals at the Fire Spin, forcing it to explode prematurely.

Ash clicked his tongue, "Armor!" Hellfire howled as his body was consumed by flame. Then he charged with his head lowered.

"Attack on a wide scale!" Neesha barked when the flower Pokemon took a step back. Vileplume only twitched its orange eyes locked on the Houndoom. Hellfire rammed the flower sending it squealing and tumbling several feet away. The Houndoom howled his triumph before circling back around.

Hellfire head-butted the flower Pokemon again, this time sending it into a nearby stone. "Finish it!" he cheered receiving an enthusiastic bark. Then Vileplume's eyes snapped open and petals shoved it from the dog's path, making him ram the stone. Ash and Willow grimaced, mercifully Hellfire only blinked appearing slightly stunned. Vileplume steadied itself before charging a silver orb above its petals center. "Cover now!" the trainer shouted his eyes widening in horror.

The Houndoom darted away, only for the silver beam to smash into his side. Hellfire was launched off his feet and thrown through the air howling until he collided with a boulder. The Houndoom sank to the ground with his bone armor sporting countless cracks and hacked. Vileplume fell to its knees wheezing.

"Petal Blizzard!" Neesha's order was nearly a cheer.

"Fire Spin Shield!" Ash countered in a snap. Vileplume forced itself to its feet with a groan. It glared defiantly. Hellfire pushed himself up, only to collapse once halfway up. The trainer winced when the dog hacked sparks.

The flower exhaled heavily before shooting multiple petals at the downed Houndoom. Hellfire hacked again, then he barked a ball of flame that exploded and formed a half circle around the dog. Most of the petals crumpled upon meeting the shield, but a few managed to lodge themselves in the dog's side. Ash clenched his jaw as Hellfire grimaced. He returned Hellfire a moment later. _I'm sorry, I let you down. I never would've guessed it could use Moonblast._

"Round three victor, Vileplume!" the referee announced gesturing to the flower Pokemon. Neesha and Fergus clapped, making Vileplume warble. Ash narrowed his eyes. Their cheers seemed to have reenergized it.

Willow leaped off his head. The trainer snapped to her with a disbelieving look. She trotted into the field. She stared up at the flower Pokemon that was nearly four times her height.

"Round four! Ivysaur versus Vileplume begin!"

"Petal Blizzard!" Neesha ordered. Vileplume squeaked and blasted many pink petals. Willow narrowed her eyes before being consumed by a strong white sheen. She darted around the petals without effort before surging at the flower who squeaked and summoned petals to its side. The petals shoved Vileplume from the saurian's path, only for Willow to swerve after it by pushing against the ground with her vines.

Ash cheered when the Ivysaur's Take Down collided with the flower Pokemon's midsection. Vileplume was silent as it was sent skidding away from Willow. The referee stared blankly as the dinosaur trotted back to Ash's side and sat on her haunches. "Great job! One more!" the trainer grinned at such a width it hurt.

Willow warbled. Vileplume was consumed by a scarlet light when Fergus stepped forward. Their next opponent was one of the heaviest in the world. Averaging a weight greater than about ninety-five percent of domesticated Rhyperior, but standing shorter than a Machoke, the final stage of the Geodude line was an odd specimen to behold.

 _This is going to be the level we compete at from now on._ Golem was a red-eyed spherical Pokemon whose body appeared to be made of several gray boulders, each as long and broad as Willow herself was tall. Its short, thick legs were a dull gray and ended in feet that had four long nails in front and another nail on its heel. Its similarly colored arms were long and ended in three fingered claws. Golem's head was that of a snake's with a very short neck. Its light red eyes regarded Willow with the cool calculation of an experienced predator.

The dinosaur peered up at it, looking unsure of what to make of the comparative giant. "It's the evolved form of Graveler. The first chance you get use _that_ ," Ash said, watching the ground-type carefully. Golem were known to throw boulders the size of men down mountain sides in games with Onix to amuse their young. _This thing would make Jessie and James's Nidoking sweat a bit. Still, her advantages are almost unfair. We can win this._ "By the way, it's at least a notch above our Gore. No pressure." Willow's eyes bulged. _Maybe I should have saved that for after the fight?_

"Round five Golem versus Ivysaur begin!" the referee called.

"Bomb!" Ash yelled. The Ivysaur spat two seeds at the ground Pokemon, then darted for a string of stones. Golem swung its arm with a look of boredom, throwing a couple small stones at the Seed Bombs making them explode. Willow hooked around the reptile's shooting another couple seeds at its head. The ground Pokemon leaned forward, forcing the bombs to detonate on its back.

Golem grimaced slightly before turning to face the saurian, only to find that Willow had run to cover. "He's to your left!" Fergus cried, pointing in the Ivysaur's direction. Willow and Ash glared at him. Golem stared at the stones in the direction, then it began to sniff the air. The challenger's eyes lit up.

"Bomb now!" Ash barked. The Ivysaur hefted herself to the top of the stone she was behind in a single smooth tug of her vines. The saurian's seeds exploded at the top of the ground Pokemon's body, making it snarl and take a step back. His eyes narrowed. _Its armor is weaker on the top? No, that doesn't make any sense._

"Enough! Rollout!" Fergus shouted, waving an arm. Golem roared, making Willow flinch and the challenger grit his teeth. _Its signature attack?_ The stone Pokemon swung both arms forward and shoved off with its legs. Golem sent small shock waves through the earth as it began its charge.

 _If she gets hit directly it's over._ "It gets faster and stronger the longer it goes!" Ash told his Pokemon eyeing the ground-type carefully. The Ivysaur spewed a green dust from her flower that Golem rolled through without hesitation. Willow squeaked before diving away from the Rollout. Ash grimaced when a small stone was crushed by the ground-type's charge. Golem collided with a far larger stone making to bounce back at Willow. The dinosaur shrieked her eyes becoming saucers before dashing away. Fergus cheered as the Golem rammed another boulder, sending pebbles flying through the air. Ash began to sweat. _What can we do against that kind of power?_ A glimmer to the far right caught his eyes. _That's a reflection?_ He grinned. "Willow go right in front of the ref!"

The grass-type swerved, only to be cut off by Golem rolling in front of her. The boulder like Pokemon bounced off another stone to intercept her again. Willow squeaked, latching onto a small stone with her vines and launched herself through the air. "She's in the air!" Fergus barked as Golem slowed. Ash flinched when she fell onto a boulder and bounced.

 _Wait, it got slower when she jumped?_ "Get up, it's coming again!" Ash barked. The Ivysaur huffed before turning to face her opponent. Golem squeezed barreled its way through two close stones, sending rocks flying through the air. Willow crouched as it neared. "Bullets!" the trainer commanded.

The Ivysaur sprinted to the ground Pokemon's side before shooting several glowing seeds into Golem's flank. The ground Pokemon slammed into a large stone in front of the referee, drawing horrified shrieks from the Mr. Mime and drawing the attention of Gyarados.

"That move is useless! Why do we even have it?" Ash facepalmed.

"What are you doing?" Fergus cried as Golem came to a stop. "Get back into Rollout!" Neesha leaned up to his ear while Gyarados gave Fergus an irritated look. _This terrain isn't open enough for a Golem._ It may have been before King, Hellfire, and Machoke created so many smaller stones in their fights. It wasn't slowing it enough to make the attack ineffectual, but it was still too great a handicap when fighting one of the worst opponents for it.

Ash nodded approvingly when he saw the Ivysaur's hiding place. _She's got it in her sight and even the Gym Leaders won't be able to see her there. It'll take a few seconds to find her._ "Willow!" he cried. When she turned to him, he made a hurrying gesture and she snorted back. A small yellow light grew atop her flower. Golem turned toward her sniffing the air insistently.

"Go for a wide attack!" Fergus ordered his brow furrowing as he scoured the field. Golem stomped sending shockwaves through the earth that made small rocks shooting off the earth. Willow squeaked as her legs were sent splaying to each side. Golem snapped to her.

It ripped a chunk of stone from the earth and Ash paled. _I can't recall her from here!_ Golem launched the boulder at Willow. He sighed quietly when it landed a few feet away from her. Golem scrunched up its face in confusion. "Willow, now do it!" Ash commanded.

"Shield yourself!" Fergus cried. Golem pulled both of its arms to its chest, making several boulders levitate toward it. Then Willow angled her lower body up and blasted a yellow beam from her flower. The Solarbeam detonated as it hit the side of the ground-type's head blasting pebbles of armor into the air and knocking Golem onto its side with a shriek. "Cover yourself!"

"Get it!" Ash roared, receiving a bark as she surged to the downed beast. Golem raised a shaky arm and yanked the stones it had called previously to it. The Ivysaur's eyes widened, then she spat Seed Bombs at the ground Pokemon. Golem waved its arm in the saurian's direction, forcing her to dive for cover and making the bombs explode. It thrust an arm into the air before a large stone taller than King's more than four feet pushed its side, helping it to its feet. _Damn, we won't get that shot back._ Ash popped his knuckles. _That Solarbeam wasn't quite full power, but it didn't see it, so it was probably worse for Golem than a full power one on a sunny day._

The reptilian ground-type's left eye was shut, a small stream of liquid life falling down that side at a steady rate as well. The armor beneath its head had been chipped as well. _We may have to smash it till its faults show._ The challenger glanced at Willow, who was beginning to pant. _But a powerful ground-type's armor is as solid as any powerful steel Pokemon. We just don't have time._ A glimmer behind Golem caught his eye again. Just behind the puddle was a small crack in the earth. _We'll use those._

"He's over there! To your right!" Fergus shouted, making the challengers flinch. Golem roared, stomped and the earth beneath it cracked. The vibrations it sent into the earth possessed such ferocity pebbles fell from Willow's shield. The Ivysaur wrapped her vines around the stone in front of her. Golem's eyes lit up when it saw the vines. Silver lights developed in front ground Pokemon's chest before they became small, sharp stones. _That's the second form of Stone Edge?_

"Charge!" the challenger commanded once the Earthquake ended. The grass Pokemon blinked rapidly and forced herself to her feet. Golem's eyes narrowed. "Get your vines out!" Willow raced from her cover and Golem fired the shards. She squeaked before her vines threw her into the air. Ash grimaced when Willow squealed flailing her legs wildly as her vines slipped. Golem snapped to her, then it winced and tried to shield its good eye. "Willow attack!"

The dinosaur spat a seed at the ground Pokemon. Golem hissed sounding confused when the seed landed on the top of its armor. Then glowing vines sprung from the seed and wrapped around a segment of the ground Pokemon's stone armor. The Ivysaur shook herself as her foe clawed at its armor in an attempt to remove the Leech Seed. _It was blinded by the light? Like Gore, its vision is really sensitive after all. It won't lose much if we blind it._ Golem was mere inches ahead of the water that could very well be their only hope for victory. "Get a grip!" Fergus shouted clenching his jaw.

Golem grunted quietly as it removed the seed. The dinosaur's vines slapped at one of its thick legs, making Golem grimace and creating small red lines. Its leg shot out with surprising speed and stomped on a vine. Willow squealed and tugged frantically. "Bomb on red!" Ash commanded when the ground Pokemon cocked an arm back.

It swung its arm wildly, sending a boulder at the dinosaur who darted around it, only to be yanked back when the rock hit her trapped vine. It snarled when Willow rolled from another stone, resulting in a small cut on her side. "Charge at red!" She shot forward with a hiss and the strong glow of Take Down wreathing her. Golem cocked a glowing fist back. It tried to bend down, but winced immediately. Willow rammed Golem's wounded leg, forcing it to a knee.

Then its eyes snapped open and it smashed its glowing fist into the dinosaur's cheek launching her into a near stone. Ash gaped his eyes wide. He gave a relieved sigh when she stood back up. Golem glared at her before launching a blade of stone at the dinosaur. Willow squeaked and pushed herself over the attack with her vines.

Ash flinched when the vines were severed and the shrieking dinosaur landed on the blade. "Bomb!" Ash commanded when Golem cocked its arm back. It punched, shooting a rock the size of his head at the saurian who spat a seed that managed to intercept the boulder. Willow winced as the attack landed on her. She pushed it off and rose, an eye swelling shut and a large bruise already developing on her cheek.

"Earthquake!"

"Sleep!" Golem brought its leg up only to be engulfed by the green dust of Sleep Powder, making it blink rapidly. Ash grinned, "Poison above it! And climb!" The purple Poison Powder surrounding it would hardly hurt the ground Pokemon, but they didn't need it to. Golem snapped to Willow when she leaped onto a stone. It snarled, then launched a boulder thrice her size at the saurian. Willow squeaked before jumping and throwing herself into the air with her vines.

Golem's head snapped up as the cloud of Poison Powder began to sink around it. It squinted at Willow appearing confused. It jabbed launching a small stone when the Ivysaur landed on a large stone. Willow propelled herself into the air and blasted two seeds at their foe. The ground-type snarled, inching backward when the seeds exploded on the side of its head. Golem grimaced and snapped its foot back up after stepping into King's puddle. Its massive foot came down on the ground behind it with a thud and the earth gave.

Golem shrieked as its foot sank into the earth. Willow landed in a crouch and shot Seed Bomb after Seed Bomb at the ground-type, making it hiss and recoil as the barrage of exploding seeds assaulted it. "Rock Tomb!" Fergus roared struggling to be heard over the Seed Bombs. Golem brought a thick arm in front of its face, then it blasted a shard of stone that lodged itself in one of Willow's front legs.

Ash grimaced when the dinosaur shrieked. She hobbled behind a boulder and eased the small blade out with a twitch. Golem yanked its leg out with a snarl. Several of the boulders that made up the ground Pokemon's armor had been blasted off. Its left forearm was covered in blood and a finger was bent at an odd angle. Golem glared at Willow panting heavily. _We'll have to try blinding it again._ "Poison!" he ordered. Golem was consumed by a red light before the Ivysaur could even fire her attack. Willow puffed out her cheeks. "Just come back," Ash said, rolling his eyes. "You did good." The dinosaur cooed before being recalled.

The trainer sighed when he saw the holes Golem's Stone Edge shards had created. A Gym challenge was a risk. Every battle was a risk. There was always a possibility his Pokemon could die even in a regulated match. Golem's final Stone Edge couldn't have killed her no matter where it hit, he knew. That knowledge was a meager comfort. A flash of gold and green startled him. He grabbed it. "Congratulations!" Fergus shouted at such a volume his fellow Gym Leaders flinched, "It is my duty to educate you on the responsibilities you will now undertake-"

"He's not becoming an Ace," the referee interrupted, raising his own silver sash, "He won a damn badge," he finished his tone becoming hard. _Refs are usually retired Gym Trainers._ He'd never thought of them as capable fighters for some reason.

"But we need more Aces and he beat my Golem-" Gyarados gave Fergus an annoyed look, making the man pout. "Fine, fine. Congratulations on earning this badge," he mumbled so quietly Ash could barely hear him.

"Tell Daisy I said hello!"

"I will," Ash said nodding at Neesha. The Viridian Gym badge was green around its edges. In its middle was a carving of a young girl with a ponytail and a small Golem that he knew to be Yellow and her partner Gorro. History's longest reigning Champion was seen as something of a saint in the Indigo League. That reverence was especially strong in her home town.

"Wait!" the referee called. "You made her step in a hole Machoke made didn't you?" he asked, striding up to him. The trainer stopped. He knew they'd only been able to trick Golem into stepping on the crack because of the hits it had taken, and Willow's speed. Trapping Pokemon in holes Gore made in follow up matches was a strategy he'd used before, but he'd never seen a person pick up on the fact it was deliberate on his part. He wasn't sure if even Corey and Neesha had figured it out. Ash examined the man more carefully. The man was far taller than average with a square jaw a short well-trimmed beard and laughing blue eyes.

"Yeah," he answered after a moment. The trainer stiffened his eyes widening, "You're Jim Dempsey aren't you?"

"I do have that honor," the old man winked and grinned.

"Why do _you_ work for them?" Ash demanded, glancing between the young Gym Leaders and the retired Ace. If he remembered correctly the man was a level two Silver, the second highest rank among Ace Trainers.

"Work for them," Patrick snorted, "Only on paper." The double doors behind him were pushed open. "Keep up the good work Ash!" he clapped his shoulder hard enough to make him wince before walking the new challenger to the field.

"R-right! Um, yes sir!" Ash responded blinking at the man's back. _Gore's gonna be mad I met someone so strong without him._ The thought was enough to make him grin.

Xxxxxxxxx

Ash scowled. Willow peered up at him from his bag. "Look you're too big to be carried around everywhere now!" She squeaked defiantly and burrowed into the bag. Ash huffed. Gore chuffed, amused. "I'll shave you," Ash promised his tone dark. The swine whined and hid his eyes behind his hooves. _That, that doesn't do anything, you woolly idiot._ "Hellfire, do me a solid here!"

The dog yipped and flailed from beneath the large quilt his paws were trapped in. Grace licked her paws while she watched him struggle. "King?" Ash called his tone bordering on desperate. King glanced at him disinterestedly. He threw a blanket over himself. "You're all terrible."

Xxxxxxxx

I always thought it was messed up that a Growlithe can become an incredibly strong Arcanine at level 5, while notably ambitious species like Charmander and Larvitar have to fight a thousand times to reach their potential.

What do you think about the idea of requirements to evolve with a stone?

In other news…

Female Gyarados might agree with Grace on a few things.

Hellfire's loss is a prime example of the power information has. It's not a guarantee he would have won anyway though.

Now that the others have evolved Gore will probably get his ass kicked less. They can be used for hype too now.


	29. Chapter 29

Firstly, summer colds are terrible. I hope you all have been in better health than I.

I don't own Pokemon.

Episode 29

The Road Home

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

"...What are you doing?" Ash stared at the Ivysaur. Willow peeked at him before snapping her eyes shut again. The dinosaur's legs were splayed out, her head was tilted to the side, and her tongue was sticking out. Gore snorted squinting up at the sky. A large bird soared above their heads. "That explains that," Ash sighed, drawing the dinosaur's Pokeball.

A pink circle slammed into the bird's wing, making it shriek and spiral into the earth. Ash and Gore twitched when the bird crashed into the unforgiving earth. Grace zoomed past them as the bird forced itself up. She raked her glowing claw across its throat. Ash took a step toward her frowning. Gore snorted frost in his path. He turned to the boar and received a hard look. Ash huffed, "Let's set up camp then." They weren't far from the corral's edge anyway. "Bring it over here," the trainer ordered.

The Vulpix looked at him with suspicion until he made another beckoning gesture. She continued to glare at Gore as he set up the night's fire pit. Grace was right to be suspicious the boar was nearly drooling. The trainer released Hellfire. "Willow help him collect wood!" Ash ordered.

The dinosaur only twitched. "It's dead," the trainer rolled his eyes. Willow's eye peeked open again. She chirped happily when she saw Grace dragging the mangled avian. "Do you think her bird thing would be considered speciesism or racism?" Ash inquired nudging the Piloswine. The boar grunted noncommittally. The trainer hummed. "Do you think she'll get better, or she'll be like you with Nidoking?" Gore gave him an irritated look. Ash snorted, "It took three days to get you to stop charging Pins after he evolved." Even other boar Swinub became more accustomed to predatory species faster than Gore had. The Piloswine chuffed and pointed to the bag. Ash's eye twitched. _I'm not your butler._

He didn't have many opportunities to introduce Willow to bird Pokemon on their journey. The trainer furrowed his brow. The only birds he could remember her meeting were with the Rockets. _And they wanted her dead. I definitely could have done a better a job about that._ He smiled when he saw the Ivysaur and Hellfire had returned with their firewood.

It didn't take his team long to doze off after everyone had eaten their fill. Grace was curled up in the fire pit with a look of deep content. Hellfire was sprawled out a few feet away with a bone in his jaws and Willow had taken to the tree above Ash's head. The trainer rubbed King's Pokeball and smiled. They were all taking a well-deserved rest. All save one.

Gore was glaring into the darkness around their camp, his floppy ears twitching every time the fire crackled. "You figured it out already," Ash said with a fond huff. The swine gave him a sharp look. "That seagull Grace killed flew over us a couple times about an hour before it became her dinner. I saw three smaller ones fly over us today. Something weird is going on at Porta Vista. And," he glanced at the path to his left, "There's something strong enough behind us to freak out regular birds."

The Piloswine narrowed his eyes. Ash smiled tauntingly, "Hmm? Didn't notice flying Pokemon didn't fly back the way they came?" Gore huffed and poked at the ground insistently. "Whatever's behind us, it's definitely following us," the trainer murmured holding up his hands in surrender. "I'm a bit surprised you know figured it out. The wind's blowing the other way," Ash told the boar as he removed his hat. Gore turned his glare onto his partner, making the trainer smirk. The swine trotted over to his left before settling down. Ash leaned against his partner's soft brown fur and yawned. Sneaking up on Gore wouldn't be easy. He could afford to let his guard down a bit.

The next day brought sunshine, yet no sign of their stalker. _Were we paranoid?_ He and the Piloswine exchanged a glance. Gore grunted stubbornly. The swine refused to lower his guard. Grace glanced at them with her eyes narrowed. Ash smiled easily and shrugged. The vixen huffed before trotting to catch up with Willow, who was leaping from tree to tree. Hellfire barked as he snapped after the leaves the dinosaur dislodged. Ash smirked fondly while Gore relaxed slightly.

"This side of the region is a lot more peaceful," he declared stretching. "I love fighting strong guys as much as the next trainer, but I gotta admit, I could get used to this." Gore snorted an agreement. Ash patted his side roughly. Then a gust of wind strong enough to nearly knock his loose hat off came from behind them. The ice Pokemon froze. "Was that natural wind?" the trainer whispered the hair on the back of his neck rising. Gore hissed. Ash glanced at his team. Hellfire and Grace were still playing with leaves Willow shook off. _They don't feel anything's off._

A sound carried on the breeze reminiscent of something smacking a tree made him stiffen. The trainer reached for King's capsule his fingers twitching. When he didn't hear anything for several beats he relaxed until he saw his partner had narrowed his eyes. Ash flinched as a crack went off to his right. Gore flipped toward the sound with Fury Attack activated. A squeaking hairy bug that resembled a caterpillar rounded onto the trail. Gore grunted in a confused manner, his Fury Attack deactivating. Ash's eyes widened when the bug Pokemon took cover behind them. He turned to partner and received an equally confused look. A loud buzzing made the duo snap to the sky.

The side of Gore's tusk slammed him in the belly, throwing him off his feet and into the unforgiving trunk of a tree. Weedle squealed as an attack went off with a boom and a cloud of dust washed over them. Ash wheezed as he forced himself onto an elbow. Squinting, he could barely make out his partner struggling with a four winged creature that vaguely resembled a giant dragonfly. Gore snarled before swiping the insect across the chest with a tusk. The green dragonfly flew back shrieking at such a volume Weedle flinched.

The swine Pokemon surged from the dust and swiped at the insect, only for it to spin away from the assault. Yanmega smacked Gore's side with two of its wings, drawing thin cuts in the boar's side. The Piloswine stomped to a stop before shooting a silver orb at the insect's back. The Ancient Power exploded, throwing Yanmega through the branch of a tree. It shrieked as it collided with a tree trunk, forcing countless leaves from their branches. Ash pushed himself up as the insect turned to its opponent hesitantly. The bug Pokemon shot into cover by hiding in the tree's upper branches.

 _Using the foliage as camouflage? Bugs don't raise their young often, so this thing's pretty experienced at hunting._ "Ice on it all," Ash murmured. Gore huffed before inhaling deeply. Without warning an earsplitting screech exploded from the tree. Ash squawked, backpedaling and covering his ears. Leaves rustled and Gore roared furiously as the Screech attack faded.

"Calm down, you're freaking out Weedle!" Ash snapped once he was certain the insect had escaped. He grimaced shutting his eyes. The trainer gave a relieved sigh when the ringing in his head lessened. The Piloswine hissed before stomping over to a tree and head-butting it. Weedle squeaked fearfully as it crawled behind him. Purple flame landed between Ash and the bug Pokemon, making it squeal in alarm. Ash raised a brow. The trainer squawked when a small form crashed into his ribs. The trainer hit his knees, gasping. Willow burrowed her head into his ribs. Ash wheezed, wrapping his arms around his chest and glaring at Gore's back. _You taught her this crap you stupid pig._

Hellfire bounded to his side and sniffed at him insistently. "I'm okay," the trainer uttered patting the dog's head lightly. Ash reached down to pet the dinosaur after Willow poked his belly. Grace sauntered up to the cowering Weedle. A dark gleam materialized in her golden eyes when it began to crawl away. "Grace." The harsh tone was enough to make the vixen pause. She turned to him with her eyes narrowed. The bloodthirst there would have stunned him a year ago. Now, Ash gazed back without flinching. "It's fine if you hunt, I get it. But you'll not be killing this guy, or anything else for fun," he insisted. She stared at him in a near glare until he brought his hand over King's Pokeball.

Grace sniffed, then she strode away with her five tails held high. _Gore's not the only one who's been getting more aggressive lately._ He sighed. "Rest for a bit," Ash told his partner. Gore huffed irritably before being recalled. "Gore'll be back to normal soon," the trainer promised, patting Willow's head lightly, "He's just really hungry." A Pokemon's growth spurts could be triggered by an increase in strength. This trait allowed Pokemon to survive in particularly hostile environments where regular creatures would almost certainly die. The dinosaur cooed and licked his cheek. _Whether I'll still have my hair by the time they get back to normal is another question. At least we know what her powers will be._

The fifth tail increased her power to a lesser degree than the others she'd earned. Still, it could be argued that this tail brought an even greater gift. It would tell them which of the three types of Vulpix she was. The rarest of the three was the dark Vulpix. They had far greater physical and elemental might and would possess twice the size of typical Ninetales after their evolution. The fifth tail made them so aggressive trainers were taught to put them in their Pokeballs upon earning the tail, then they were suggested to take them to the nearest center to be sedated. Luckily for everyone involved the transition lasted a mere three days.

Psychic Vulpix had far stronger barriers than their fellow vixen and learned the telekinetic move Confusion upon earning their fifth tail. Their nature didn't make the predominantly psychic moves Extrasensory or Psyshock stronger for some reason though. They were famous for possessing oddly powerful barriers for mobile Pokemon. Their fifth tail rarely impacted their mood. Ash knew immediately Grace wasn't psychic natured. _That Ninetales that Tiny fought definitely was a psychic natured vixen._

Ghost Vulpix learned Night Shade upon their evolution and were believed to be be using Hex constantly without strain. The Pokedex said that Ninetales didn't use Hex, but Ash was beginning to question that. Given their personalities and the mysteries surrounding them, he believed it was likely they were using the vindictive move passively. Thankfully, the transition to the fifth tail wasn't as dangerous for the trainer as a dark Vulpix's could be. The trainer frowned. It took years of fighting for a Vulpix to reach five tails in the wild. _Grace's mood, is it related to her body adjusting to Hex again so abruptly?_ Hex was a move meant to increase the pain a weak technique could inflict. It had to have had some drawback. The mischievous nature ghosts and Vulpix were known for could be it.

He'd need to get a book dedicated to the species if he wanted to learn more about the Vulpix family. Agatha had written a book about her ghosts that included her experience with her Ninetales. That would not be kind to his wallet. Ash grimaced and Hellfire's ears fell when Grace set a pebble in her path alight. Willow gave her friend an odd look before turning back to Ash. _Crap she picked up on me not mentioning Grace_. Things were far simpler when she took everything he said as if it was the word of a god. "She'll be like that for a little while," he offered a hesitant smile. _Maybe. I think._

Then Willow stiffened and Hellfire growled. A gigantic bipedal beetle raced in front of them. It crouched, its claws glowing and its eyes narrowed. Pinsir clicked uncertainly when it saw them. A man sporting the armor of a samurai tumbled into the road. The man shot to his feet with a battle cry. Then he drew his sword as he glared at everything around him.

Hellfire blinked, his head cocking to the side at the odd bug. Then recognition flashed through his light brown eyes. The Houndoom bared his teeth, the fur on the back of his neck rising. Ash wrapped an arm around Willow's middle when she let out a hiss. "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded, eyes narrowing dangerously. The trainer moved to rise, but abandoned the idea when Pinsir raised its claws in warning.

"I, well, I was," Samurai flushed, "I was tracking the Yanmega!" he puffed himself up and gave Ash an imperious look. "And I would have captured it too had you not distracted me!"

"It's over twenty-five minutes from Viridian to Pallet," Ash pointed out. He glanced behind Samurai. He fought down a reaction when Grace inched closer to the Pinsir's back. "By car," he added

"I've been following it from Viridian?" Pinsir lowered its claws and gave Samurai an incredulous look. The man flushed. He was younger than Ash had believed. Probably a year or so younger than his older sister. Samurai also looked to have grown a fair bit since their first battle more than a year and a half ago. _He was about fifteen when we met? Or did he just grow quickly after turning fourteen?_ To think a fourteen or fifteen year-old was capable of such callousness toward a creature he didn't even intend to eat. Ash swallowed. That was incredibly disturbing. Even when she was wild, Grace wouldn't do such a thing.

He sighed. If it crossed her she would do it and yip about it later. Then she would find something else to torment. Ash waved the vixen off as she readied her Scratch attack. Grace glared at him before glancing at Pinsir nervously. After a moment the vixen sat on her haunches. "Why are you following me, Samurai?"

"I'm not-"

"Don't!" Ash snapped. "Or I'll let them do what they want." Pinsir clicked menacingly and Hellfire returned the threat with a snarl. The dog and his trainer flinched when a demonic hiss came from his lap. Samurai gulped while Pinsir's eyes went wide. Grace only blinked at Willow's threat. "Where the hell did that come from?" he demanded, looking down at the dinosaur. She peered up at him blankly. Ash ran a hand behind her ears gently. _She doesn't know how she sounds does she?_ He scowled. _Why do I get the feeling this is Gore's work too?_ The other trainer, cleared his throat to draw the team's attention.

The trainer raised a brow when Samurai mumbled something. "What?" Ash inquired eyeing him carefully. The older boy mumbled again with his eyes on the ground. "Speak up!" Ash snapped giving the other trainer an annoyed look.

"Thank you!" Samurai screamed his face going red. The younger trainer stared at him, gaping. "For not leaving me," he continued, turning to glare at a tree. Ash narrowed his eyes. "And I'm sorry, for everything," Samurai finished fidgeting. Ash's brows rose into his hairline when even Pinsir clacked in an apologetic manner. Willow snorted before she and Hellfire turned to him with uncertainty. Ash stared into Samurai's eyes. The young man twitched under his scrutiny.

No matter how long he looked he couldn't see any deception. "Fine. Don't expect us to be friend's," the trainer said. He wasn't sure what else he could say. His team didn't seem to know what to make of the lack of aggression either. "Go back to Viridian," Ash added as he led his team around the older trainer. _Where did Weedle go?_ It didn't matter, he supposed. Grace's glare had her golden eyes resembling melting gold. It seemed the apology angered her more. "Come on," the trainer directed ushering her down the trail and away from her desired victim.

Xxxxxxxx

"Alright, let's go over the expected behavior and rules for home again," Ash said. They were less than twenty minutes from Pallet. It was his last chance to go over this. This was the third time he'd explained the expected decorum in Pallet within the past hour. King gave him an annoyed look. Hellfire panted happily as he made glances in the direction of the town. Grace pushed her ears back. "Are you trying to ignore me?" the trainer hissed. The vixen flattened her ears against her head. "Fine! You eat someone's pet and see if I help you!" Ash snapped while straightening the straps of his pack. He turned to march down the trail.

Hellfire whined before padding after him. The dog Pokemon nuzzled his hand. "Nope." Hellfire whimpered and licked his hand. Ash rolled his eyes as he moved to scratch him behind his ears. The Houndoom panted happily while baring his teeth in a manner that resembled a smile. It would probably send small children fleeing. Ash felt part of his anger ebb away. _An agent of the Reaper?_ He snorted.

The trainer ran his hand along the dog's armored back. Hellfire's armor had strengthened to the point it could be considered matured. The Houndoom line was known for frailty, but that reputation wasn't entirely deserved. A Pokemon's durability was related to their elemental strength as well as their physical attributes. Houndoom were simple creatures at their core. Why did they need to reach their combat potential? They had food and their pack. That was all they wanted. That was all they needed. Ash couldn't wrap his head around the line's lack of ambition. He could understand the detriments of the lack of desire.

King and Gore were strong because they wanted to be. The desire to reach their potential was ingrained in their very essence. Whether they met Ash or not they would have become strong. He'd simply accelerated the process. Hellfire would have merely been a large Houndoom. It was possible he would be prompted to train, but it was just as likely he wouldn't be. He wouldn't be much stronger than he was right now really. Ash ran his hands behind Hellfire's white horns. He eyed the crooning dog sharply. Power was something every Pokemon longed for on some level. Houndoom, even other dog Pokemon were more driven than his species. _The look in his eyes when Gore was hit by Saur's Petal Blizzard, is that how they make up for their instincts as Pokemon being repressed?_

Savagery was one way to deal with an Arcanine.

Light padding to his right drew his eyes. Grace glanced at him, then snapped her eyes down when she noticed he was looking at her. King gave the vixen an odd look. Ash shrugged when the crab glanced at him. He could feel the vixen's glances at him for the rest of their trek. Ash considered confronting her for a moment and dismissed it just as quickly.

The trainer was confident she wouldn't attack him while in her right mind. Ash still wouldn't be taking any risks while she was undergoing something comparable to puberty. A bright smile blossomed when the town's white fence line came into view. Hellfire cocked his head to the side. Ash hummed, "First time you've seen a town with a fence?" The dog yapped at his teasing tone. The trainer grinned. "Pallet's got a population of about two thousand. Before Gramps and uncle and mom moved here it was even smaller! No place to eat, nowhere to shop and no trainers worth their salt. You could jog through the town in a couple minutes if you wanted."

By the time he'd finished speaking the Houndoom's eyes were so wide one would have thought Ash had told him the ocean was purple. The trainer chuckled. Pallet didn't have much, but he was glad that he'd grown up in the little town instead of Cianwood. The wilds outside of his grandfather's hometown weren't half as docile. The gentle herbivores that dwelled around Pallet often allowed children to play with their young. Pikachu were the only aggressive wild Pokemon for miles. Ash snorted. _Fearia's army of kids and grandkids should scare people more than Pikachu._ He knew from experience how deadly those beaks were.

King rumbled his eyes becoming far away. "We don't have as much as a city, but we do have Wave's Bay! One of the best places to swim in the entire region," Ash declared increasing his pace instinctively. Few Pokemon had poor enough judgement to try to attempt a swim into the bay. Those who tried were blocked by the wall the water and ice Pokemon reinforced every day. "The water's warm even in December 'cause of the Scald attacks," he sighed, "Sounds great right King?" Ash opened his eyes when he didn't receive a reply. "King? Where'd the hell did he go?"

Grace pointed toward his hometown with a dainty paw. The trainer blinked when he saw the giant crab racing toward Pallet's fence. "Wait, King!" Ash cried as the Kingler reached the fence. Even his Vulpix's eyes were wide as electricity racked the crab Pokemon's body. King swayed and made an odd chirping noise before collapsing. "They must be doing repairs," Ash muttered. _I probably should have told them about that when I was going over the behavior stuff earlier._

He couldn't believe he'd been distracted enough to miss the silver rolls that were curled at the top of the fence. The white fence was the last line of defense, meant to stop even adult Pokemon. Usually a retractable metallic fence enclosed the deadlier fence completely. The trainer shuddered at the thought of the weaker fence being down on the side toward Pallet itself.

"Um, you okay buddy?" Ash inquired. King gestured for his trainer to come closer with his smaller claw, then he smashed it into the boy's gut. Ash gasped, hitting his knees and wrapping his arms around his belly. _I may have deserved that._

Xxxxxxxxx

Poor Gore gets blamed for everything.

Would you like me to put the metric measurements of Pokemon introduced at the bottom? After all, many of you aren't from the United States.

Only read this if you're about to go to sleep.

Long ago, there was a predatory dragonfly like creatures belonging to the genus Meganeura who could possess a wingspan of about 65 centimeters. Course there were also spiders the size of housecats in that era. It sounded cool at first, but then I remembered I have a Chihuahua. I'm glad the world cooled down. Much of the earth is still unexplored though.

Scorpions around eight feet long existed and the ancestors of centipedes were of similar length, making them significantly longer than Armaldo and Scolipede are tall. The scorpion could possess a pincer of about 18 inches (36 centimeters) long.

Sleep well.


	30. Chapter 30

My thoughts and condolences are with Nice France and Syria.

There's an Author's Note at the bottom. One year anniversary of the story! For those who have forgotten it's been a bit more than a year and a half since the start of the story.

Extra long one here, and it's big on Gary's p.o.v you have been warned.

I don't own Pokemon. Please support the official release.

The first episode of the Pallet Arc: Episode 30

Thunder and Fire

Xxxxxxxxx

"Lights are on but nobody's home?" Ash said, tugging on the bill of his hat lightly. _Well, the sun is just coming up._ He'd been so eager to get home yesterday they made it within two miles away from Pallet. Ash walked until his legs shook, his feet became numb, and sweat fell from him like rain would from the sky. He would have kept walking had Willow not dragged him down with her vines and forced him to rest for the night.

 _I guess I could have left Grace and Hellfire out._ He grimaced, it wasn't worth the risk. Mimi seeing two Pokemon with huge advantages against her trotting up to their house could send the mime into a panic. Especially since Hellfire's armor was weak to her fairy powers. _Not to mention the barriers._ Ash shuddered. "Do you think she needed Meowsy today?" Gore snorted before trotting up to the white house's window. Acaya wasn't as powerful as Pins or a member of his grandfather's team. To a group of Pokemon whose owners only gave them the barest of training, she would've been nigh invincible. He was certain his team had surpassed Mimi long ago, but she was still a capable Mr. Mime. It was always best to be respectful with Pokemon. Psychics could be particularly touchy because of their instinctive talent for sensing emotion.

His mother's Persian preferred to stay home when she could. More specifically on the little nest she'd made in the corner of the den or his mother's bed. Her being at the Pallet House probably meant the Pokemon were being more aggressive than usual, or the fire-types of the corral required Acaya's constant surveillance. Gore propped his upper body up on the small earthen platform he created to peer into the front windows. The Piloswine turned his ears toward their childhood home. The pang of sadness accompanying surprised him. Once his journeying was over Ash would probably move out. The thought wasn't as exciting after over a year and a half of not seeing his family in the flesh. "Nothing at all, huh," the trainer muttered when Gore huffed.

The swine Pokemon hopped off the platform and sniffed the air insistently. "They're just at work," Ash cut in before the paranoid pig could upset himself. "I can get us in." The trainer reached into his vest. Finding nothing Ash patted down his vest and jean pockets. It seemed he'd lost his key. He grimaced when he pulled a small wad of black fur from his vest. _How the hell did it even get it in here?_ The swine snorted. Ash looked up his cheeks burning.

Gore stared at him evenly. "I think we should go swimming," he offered averting his gaze, "Today is way too good to be inside!" the trainer added with more confidence in his voice. The Piloswine huffed in a long suffering fashion. "It's not lost; it's just temporarily misplaced! Maybe it's in the bag!" Ash snapped. "Don't give me that look. All you do is fight and eat! You don't know anything about what a trainer has to do to keep things in order-" The pig turned to Wave's Bay and trotted away. "Don't you walk away from me! I'll fry you up and feed you to a herd of Nidos! Pepperoni pig! Wooly ham!" the trainer shouted stomping after his partner. Ash froze when he became aware of the stares he was receiving. An old woman walking with a small Growlithe and a tiny girl was looking at him like he was insane. "We're just playing?" Ash offered with a weak smile. When the girl inched behind her grandmother he knew his cause was lost.

"I don't get why you're acting weird. I don't lose it that often," the trainer complained once he caught up to his partner. Gore gave him a withering look. Ash winced. This was the third key he'd lost in as many months. That was after learning he'd lost his first key. _I don't even know when I lost the first one._ "That's four gone. Grandpa's going to be pissed isn't he," Ash muttered in a tone that bordered on sulking. The Piloswine snorted uncaringly. _Great. I'm being judged by a Pokemon that attacks his own reflection._ He stopped in front of a house that was far larger than any he'd walked by yet. The large windows and black shutters reminded him of the dream he'd had of the Fog. He smiled at the small man sitting on the gray stones of his steps. "Hey!"

"Hello there Ash," Mr. Roberts said, his tone absent as he watched what Ash assumed was his nephew play with a tiny tadpole like Pokemon with a beaver like tail. The Pokemon was a light blue entirely save for the purple antenna on the side of its head and the three deep blue parallel lines on its belly. Like its distant relation Poliwag, Wooper was a bipedal armless Pokemon. _Not a bad starter kid._ The boons of having a strong family member were immense. It was entirely possible a Pokemon like Wooper could evolve before they took a step out of their hometown. Or evolve a couple months into the boy's journey like Gore. He just hoped for the kid's sake that tadpole ate less than his piglet had.

"Mr. Roberts," the trainer responded after a moment with a nod. Ash snickered when the short man stiffened.

He turned slowly with a blink. "Ash? You're back! Are you taller than me now?"

"No, not yet," Ash responded snorting. The man hadn't changed much. Ron Roberts was a brown-haired, blue-eyed man with a freckled nose that was slightly larger than one would have expected for his face. He was in his mid-twenties and seemed to wear a smile as often as his green battle jacket. "That's yours?" the trainer asked, pointing at the small brown-haired boy.

"That? Oh him. He's my nephew. I don't work that fast kid," Ron answered with a snort. "And stop calling me mister! It makes me feel old," the man complained running a hand through his hair. Ash smiled half-heartedly. _Easy for you to say, your mother wouldn't set an Arcanine on you if she thinks you're being disrespectful._ Ash twitched. _I bet your grandfather wouldn't be laughing while she does it either._

They snapped to the man's nephew when a hiss sounded. Gore blinked at the water Pokemon. Wooper puffed its chest out at the confused boar and beat its flat tail against the ground. Ash blinked, remembering a little piglet challenging an experienced Nidorino in a similar fashion. To think that piglet defeated a Yanmega just days ago. He snorted. It was definitely an odd thought.

"No! "You can't keep picking fights with things bigger than you!" the brown-haired boy snapped wrapping his arms around his partner's middle. Ash raised a brow. _Wait, so you only care that it fights things bigger than it?_

Is that your Gore?" Ron inquired his large nose scrunching up. "He's a lot bigger than I remember..."

"Yeah, I guess he would be," Ash said. Gore still looked the same to him. Then again the Piloswine was with him whenever he could be out of his capsule. He ran his hands along his trainer's belt. "Well, it was good to see you. I promised my Kingler I'd go straight to the bay if nobody was home," Ash told the older man as he directed his baffled partner away from the rock snake. It was good he'd remembered his promise to King. As a herd-boar Gore had a soft spot for young creatures that a solitary male Piloswine didn't have. That didn't mean he wouldn't put Wooper down hard if it tried to attack him

"The bay?" Ron repeated slowly. "You're brilliant!" the man cried enveloping Ash in a hug that could kill a small animal. He turned to his nephew, "C'mon boys, we're going swimming!" the man beamed. Ash eyed him for a moment. "He got into the sugar and matches last night," Ron explained, turning to him with quivering blue eyes, "No matter what I do, he never tires! He just bounces up…"

"I know your pain," Ash told him, squeezing the man's shoulder lightly. Gore introducing Willow to soda had left him with a similar feeling of helplessness. She ran around the Mulberry Pokemon Center for four hours without rest, destroying hundreds of dollars' worth of medical equipment and tripping an eighty-year-old woman. Giratina's realm was reputed to be a world of mischievous ghosts and predatory dark-types. He'd rather brave it alone than go through that hell again. "Lead the way," Ash said as the older trainer went into his house. Gore snorted and trotted toward the bay.

The trainer smiled. It was good to see Mr. Roberts again. Ash had respected for him for as long as he could remember. He was the only noteworthy trainer to come from Pallet other than Daisy. The man was strong. Ash would wager he was on the same level as Fergus, Neesha, and Corey. The fact that he wasn't under the employ of the League only heightened his opinion of the man.

Ron was a Hunter. An independent trainer that tracked dangerous beasts and relocated, or ended them. Hunters were rarer in this era than they'd been in the three hundred eighty-six years since Brandon the Great's death and the dissolution of his Dragon League.

This was doubtlessly due to the expanding power of the League. The number of hunters had been declining since Kanto, Johto, and Orre were brought together peacefully under Dreyfus Blackthorn into a reborn Indigo League. The League being more consistent in its work and pay played a huge factor in the declining of the Hunters. Another factor was that many who were interested in becoming Hunters simply weren't willing to dedicate the time it took to maintain a team of three high class Pokemon.

Ash frowned. Taking a month and a half off from training after being wounded resulted in Meowsy's Slash becoming an impressive Scratch. Of course there was a limit to the decline of a Pokemon's power once they reached a certain level, though it was always hard to guess what that level was since it varied between species. Unless the Pokemon was a dragon-type that limit wouldn't be enough to comfortably defeat a Pokemon like Gore or King. Maintaining strength wasn't as arduous a struggle for a Pokemon as earning power was, but it certainly wasn't easy for the vast majority of Pokemon. It was why trainers were limited to six Pokemon. Any more than six and maintaining your team's quality was a part-time job in itself.

The struggle was tedious and frankly boring, which was why it was rare for even criminals to carry more than four. Well, that and having more than six Pokemon felt weird. It was something that baffled scientists. There was one theory Ash was partial to. a bond between a trainer and his Pokemon. A bond that could only be broken with the death of one of the two. Tending to Pokemon was nice, but it wasn't the same as bonding with them on a nearly spiritual level. Ash believed this was how creatures like the Great Kangaskhan or the Moon Goddess came to be. They weren't gods, just Pokemon who'd been pushed to their limits with their trainer and overcame them. There were also creatures like Hellfang or Pins who were born to rule. _I wonder if Pins will get that strong?_ Pokemon like Pins lived significantly longer lives than regular Pokemon. Some estimates put them at about ten times the lifespan of an average member of their species. Ash shrugged and patted Gore's side. _Maybe._

After Ron caught up, he filled Ash in on everything that had happened during his absence. The Yanma had evolved and had been causing even more grief. He patted his partner's side lightly when the pig hissed at the bug's mention. Pins had grown even larger and Acaya's return had been met with relief from the whole town. His grandfather in particular was thrilled. Ash could understand his joy. The man had lost an eyebrow to the enthusiastic pups three times. They still seemed to be better behaved than the little nightmares Gore and Aria had been.

Some of the news he didn't know what to make of, or he wished the gossip would keep it to himself. Apparently, his neighbor Angela had a baby so Tom was straight. Or he preferred women. Ash didn't care to think on it. He had the unfortunate habit of visualizing things too often to think on it. He'd learned long ago it wasn't always good for the stability of his mind. "Oh, and those other guys came back black and blue three months ago," the man finished.

"Who?"

"The other kids who left on their journeys this year," Ron explained while fiddling with his trainer's belt. "They had a pretty good run considering they were only a year older than you. Got four badges each."

 _That's the same number as me, and in a shorter period too._ "Four badges huh?" Ash murmured glancing at his partner. Gore trotted alongside the wary Wooper seemingly ignoring their conversation in favor of trying to win the tadpole over. It may have fooled anyone else, but Ash could easily see the way his ears twitched backward. "Why'd they quit a year in?"

"Erika beat them. Horribly," Ron answered wincing in sympathy.

That shocked Ash into silence. Vinya was the strongest Pokemon Erika ever used on casual challenges. Gore, King, and Willow were undoubtedly stronger than her now. He wasn't sure if Grace or Hellfire were quite there yet, but they could overwhelm her with their type advantage. _Is that the difference in dedication?_ Could three months of hard training really surpass a year of traveling? Ash shook his head. They'd just gotten lucky with Gore's evolving and gaining control over Avalanche. His team was practically made to counter grass Pokemon.

Ash blinked when the boy, Michael he believed, raced past him with his Wooper on his heels. Ron grinned, "It was good talking with you again, Ash!" A thirty-five foot Onix appeared in a burst of scarlet light. The snake shook its massive head, dislodging dirt and small pebbles. Ash and Gore stepped back while Ron received the brunt of it. "Do you have to do that every single time?" he demanded. Onix rumbled amusedly before slithering into the water.

"Druz hasn't changed either," Ash observed grinning.

"No, he hasn't," Ron growled before stomping after the snake.

"You ever think it's weird?" the trainer asked, his eyes on the snake's back. Gore turned to him inquisitively. "That they can swim, I mean. Why does a water-type's water hurt them when regular water doesn't?" The Piloswine grunted disinterestedly before nudging at Willow's ball. "Fine, fine. You can't solve all of your problems by ramming them, ya know?" Gore gave him a look that told him ramming his problems was exactly what the boar planned on doing. Ash rolled his eyes. The trainer released his team.

King chirped enthusiastically his eyes filling with a light more suited to a Krabby's gaze. "Stay on the left side!" Ash shouted. The Wooper was too feisty for King to be around. If he retaliated Druz would step in, which meant Gore would definitely come between the two for King's sake. Rearranging the beach after that fight would be a pain. He scoured the area quickly. No one had come yet. The trainer flinched when his partner squealed and leaped into the bay. Hellfire followed with a howl. Grace hissed before putting a small barrier up over herself.

"Hmph, we're going swimming you know," Ash said, striding along the bay's white beach. He smiled, feeling strangely relieved. Everything was as he left it. The tightly packed trees of the woods to the left of the bay. The white fence to the bay's far right. The rippling deep blue of the water. The white sand beneath his feet the scent of salt that carried in the air… Ash flinched when a limb poked his forehead. He turned to his concerned Ivysaur. There was something warm on his cheek.

He touched his cheek. The liquid on his finger left him staring at the digit in shock. Ash flicked the tear off as his cheeks burned. "I'm fine," he grinned kneeling and patting her head. "Go on!" Willow stared at him for a moment with twitching ears and suspicious pink eyes. Then she warbled and trotted to the water. The trainer settled himself on the bay's edge. He smiled as he watched his Pokemon splash and play. The smile faded slightly when he saw Druz poke up from under the water with Wooper and Michael riding atop him.

How did the relationship between Pokemon and type disadvantages function? They knew the energy that made a Pokemon a Pokemon varied between the types. But why would that make a creature that needed the sun like a Bulbasaur particularly weak to fire techniques? His grandfather believed it was the connection between the energy in a Pokemon and the powerful connection to the source of their element was what made the type system work. Ash thought it logical enough. _Why does regular water controlled by something like Crabhammer affect things water created by a water-type? The source for water-types is the ocean so-_

Ash froze as a rather warm and furry body curled into his side. Grace licked his hand lightly when he went to run his hand along her back. Ash eyed the vixen as though he expected her to lunge for his throat at any moment. When she just curled into his side further, he relaxed slightly and continued to pet the vixen. Ash wasn't certain whether he should be happy his distant Vulpix was being so affectionate, or terrified because his distant Vulpix was being so affectionate.

Xxxxxxxxx

Gary smiled as he stepped through the front door. Pallet was just as he remembered it. Every yard held a light gray picket fence and neatly trimmed grass that was a deep green, akin to the ocean of leaves of Viridian Forest. The eternally present gentle breeze that was just strong enough to make his hair sway, the sweet symphony of the Pidgeotto as they urged their young to awaken, the quiet peace of the town was so unlike any other he'd seen in month. Gary ran his finger along the Pokeball on his necklace. It was good to be home. "Sleep well?" he called as he strode down the wooden stairs of their family's porch.

Saur warbled an affirmative from his place at the house's right side. The Ivysaur trotted into view and gave his thick green legs a wiggle each. Then he positioned himself before the still rising sun, making his growing flower opening slightly. The trainer smiled. His smile grew when he saw their mailbox was empty. His mother had a saying Gary agreed with fervently. No mail meant no problems.

He settled on the porch with a content sigh. Saur scooted close to him. Gary chuckled as he rubbed the dinosaur's side. They sat there in a companionable silence until a beeping sound went off from within one of Gary's pants many pockets. He pulled out his Pokedex. He frowned. The severe thunderstorm that was hitting Saffron appeared to be moving toward Cerulean rapidly. Pallet was at least a couple hundred miles from Celadon, which was around a hundred miles from Saffron. It wouldn't be hitting them, so he shouldn't be worrying.

Gary bit his lip. The storm had been raging for three days now, and yet it didn't appear to be weakening. _Just how powerful is this storm?_ Gary opened the news app. _The psychics won't Teleport at all?_ The only force he knew of that could jam teleportation was ghostly energy. Even the power of distortion that dark-type Pokemon used couldn't prevent the power of Teleport. There must have been a powerful ghost within the storm.

 _Could it be the Fog?_ Surely only she could possess enough power to spread ghostly energy at such a scale? Other than the giant Golurk of Kalos there was only one ghost-type he could think of with that level of power. He dismissed it immediately. It was well known the Dragon of Shadows fell before the Grand Tamer's Aerodactyl. Gary rubbed his chin. The Wrath of Lightning was a large bird Pokemon. It was possible it could be using Ominous Wind while creating the storm. He dismissed that too.

The Wrath of Lightning was only ever seen in secluded forests or mountains. The last sighting was over three hundred years ago too. What made it even less likely it was the culprit was that wild electric-types were drawn to the storm like Magnemite to a Power Plant. Every tale depicted the Wrath as a solitary, surly creature with a bizarre sense of honor. Why would it change its modus operandi so drastically? It was possible the Fog and the Wrath were fighting. He frowned. That didn't make sense either.

The Fog didn't survive for centuries without a well working brain. She wouldn't confront a titan that had no intention of seeking her out. It had to be her causing this. _Except the Fog can't create a thunderstorm. She can't use electricity like this. She's still just a Gengar._ A Gengar's electricity was hardly something to scoff at, but it certainly wasn't an Electabuzz. _Maybe a herd of electric-types captured by the Rockets with her help? It's possible, I guess..._

Gary groaned and flopped onto his back. _Or maybe she isn't involved! It could just be a gang of Gengar playing a prank or something._ It made sense the more he thought on it. It was probably just a powerful storm, that had a gang of Gengar adding their Ominous to intimidate the psychics. Besides, the Rockets' leaders were never foolish enough to attack a city protected by one of the Eight so overtly. Fighting Sabrina on her home turf was just too much of a risk even without Teleport. _And she has the Dojo Master Anthony with her._ "I worked myself up over nothing," Gary sighed as he stretched.

The boy blinked when a vine poked him between his eyes. He blinked again when Saur poked him more insistently. He smiled and sat up. _You act like such a dour creature, Saur. But I bet you're an attention loving Pokemon deep down aren't you?_ The Ivysaur grunted contently as Gary began to rub him.

The door creaked open again. Ritchie greeted him with a smile that he returned without hesitation. Pikachu greeted Saur with a far less warm squeak before curling up around his partner's neck. The mouse never did appreciate being woken up early. Gary's smile widened. It'd be more than make up for it when Pikachu saw the feeding. They enjoyed the warmth of the morning sun for another half hour, then his pleasant expression faded into a frown. Pikachu's long yellow ears twitched before Aria wobbled out of the front door. Janine followed his partner a beat later. He flushed as he watched the shinobi when pull her shirt down over a toned belly the color of cream.

Gary snapped to his feet, making Ritchie and Saur jump. "Hurry up and wake up or we'll miss it!" the trainer said keeping his eyes firmly forward. He was beginning to truly loathe puberty.

"Why do we have to go watch them eat?" Janine whined rubbing her eyes. "It's just a bunch of Spearow or whatever fishing right?" Aria whined her agreement with the sentiment. The Magmar swayed as she made her way down the wooden steps. He sighed when Ritchie stomped out the tiny fire his partner left in her wake. It shouldn't have been this much of an issue! He told them two days ago when they'd be leaving. That hadn't stopped Janine and Aria from having a movie marathon. _I don't know what I was expecting. They'll be like this till we die._ Saur gave him a look of deep empathy. Gary patted the dinosaur's head. He truly felt for the bull Ivysaur having Janine as a partner since birth must have been stressful to the extreme for him.

"I don't think he'd wake you up now if it wasn't going to be really special," Ritchie said his tone diplomatic as it always was when his fellow trainers disagreed. Gary nodded thankfully while Janine frowned at their companion. The Pikachu by Ritchie's feet shot the blond boy an angry glance. It might have been more intimidating had the mouse Pokemon's big red cheeks not been cute enough to prompt every nurse Joy they'd met into giving them a rub. Even Aria wasn't immune to Pikachu's charm, which was something of a relief. Gary had been beginning to wonder if the Magmar would nurture her children or throw them off a volcano's side. Her liking a small rodent was a good sign.

"Where're we goin'? We passed the lab a block back?" Janine asked after they'd been strolling through the quiet town for several minutes.

"To the bay," Gary answered as though it should have been obvious. She narrowed her eyes at the tone. _Oh crap, it's too early!_ "It's just a bit further!" he added quickly. Janine huffed before hopping onto Saur's neck. The dinosaur didn't even twitch in response. Gary strongly to admired his composure. Janine tended to jump onto her "little brother's" back or neck rather often. She might have weighed less than ninety pounds, but it still must've been frustrating. _Ash and mom do that to Gore and Acaya too._ If he tried to hop on Aria he'd get thrown off, if he didn't get grilled. _Daisy rides Pins' shoulder. Grandpa rides on Wave's head. Mom rides Acaya._ Gary pouted. He glanced at the Magmar. A part of him longed for a ride on his partner too.

Aria narrowed her eyes at him as though she could infer his line of thought. The fire-type would be having none of it. Ritchie elbowed Gary lightly. "Hmm?" the blond pointed to the tightly packed trees in front of them. "We're here!" Gary declared striding to the gate before them.

"Wait, your town has a fourth gate? Why? This couldn't be an escape route and it's not connected to the harbor, so wouldn't having a fourth gate just risk let the kids getting out?" Janine inquired tilting her head to the side. "Oh," she mumbled when Gary drew his Pokedex.

"Only people who have the "If you die it's not my fault" app my grandfather made can get through this gate," Gary told his companions.

"Your grandpa is so cool," Janine sighed enviously as she adjusted her long pink scarf, "Mine just attacks me." Ritchie and Pikachu gave the girl wide-eyed looks in surprising synchrony. Pikachu turned to Saur who snorted an affirmative.

 _There's a word that starts with a c that suits grandpa. Cool is definitely not it._ Gary hummed, "Master Kyo is still that wild?" He'd heard Daisy say the previous leader of the Fuschia Gym was an eccentric old man man with a fondness for sharp things. She didn't mention anything about surprise attacks on family members though.

"That's a way of putting it," the shinobi muttered. Gary laughed as he raised his Pokedex to the small metal ball in the gate's middle. There was a clicking sound, then the gate opened slowly to reveal a small dirt path between the two rows of trees.

Small birds with brown heads, brown tail feathers, red wings, and white bellies flew over them. The flock of Spearow chirped enthusiastically as they moved to the bay. Pidgey and Pidgeotto flew from the other side of the bay with similar cries of elation. The Spearow stiffened as one upon sighting their natural enemies. _We can't stop a battle with this many Pokemon! Why'd Spearow and Pidgey in on the same day!_ The bird Pokemon were supposed to be on a six-day cycle. Several shadows thrice as large as those of the Spearow flew overhead. The Fearow had arrived. The giant brown birds shrieked and puffed out their chests, an action the larger Pidgeotto returned without hesitation. _Shit._

Mothers and fathers ushered their children out of the water. A Pokeball snapped open behind him as heat grew at his side. Gary released the rest of his team. Tunnels greeting squeak ended halfway when the mole saw the bird Pokemon. "We have to wait until they actually start to fight," Janine murmured while rubbing Crowie between her ears. "If we tried to stop them they'd just attack us first. Pikachu and Wedge, you'll zap them then Crowie and Saur'll stun 'em. Aria be careful around the Sleep Powder." The Magmar snorted a spark of flame. Her flame colored form shook with anticipation. Against his will Gary could feel his own blood begin to heat.

"R-right, we're ready," Ritchie mumbled swallowing lightly. The worst he'd been through up to now was a fight with an Ursaring. This, this was the kind of battling Rangers and Gym Trainers were meant to partake in. But there weren't any Rangers or Gym Trainers or Aces here. They were. It was up to them to limit the fatalities. If they didn't stop this no one would. A shadow far larger than any of the Fearow shot over them with a shriek fiercer than thunder.

Or not.

Fearia came to a stop between the flocks. With a height of six feet tall and a wingspan of twice that, the mightiest flying Pokemon in the United Indigo League was a sight to behold. The Pidgey and Pidgeotto cowered upon seeing her glare. They weren't as aggressive many predatory beasts, and were well aware of their limits.

One of the thirteen Fearow cried out while another puffed out its chest. Fearia gave them a look one would give an unruly child before flapping her wings at them lightly, sending two dull arcs of wind into their chests. Gary grimaced when the shrieking Fearow were thrown through trees branches and into the earth. Not all bird Pokemon possessed the wisdom of the Pidgey family. "Grandma does not appreciate backtalk much I take it," Janine observed in a tone that was far too casual for Pikachu's taste judging by the glare he gave her.

 _She's this merciless even to her own descendants._ It wasn't surprising in the least. There were numerous tales of foes surrendering upon seeing Fearia. "You have no idea," Gary told her eyeing the unconscious Fearow.

"I heard long time ago the birds were led by true kings that were so strong the Pallet harbor had to be shut down," Janine said giving Fearia an admiring look, "Then your grandpa came and took care of them right?"

"Oh yeah, I heard that too!" Ritchie piped up. _His skin is lighter than usual. Did I look like that in Lavender?_ "The flocks banded together to fight your grandpa and nearly destroyed the town right?"

"Huh, where'd you hear that?" Gary asked laughing. "No what happened was-" The birds had grown quiet. A long serpentine form under the water's surface caught his eye. "Oh! It's about to start!" the trainer grinned. Aria hooted excitedly as she stomped and clapped. Eevee trembled and Tunnels crouched. The other Pokemon stiffened.

"What? What's wrong, pal?" Ritchie asked kneeling next to Pikachu. The electric mouse stared into the water with glazed eyes. Gary narrowed his eyes. _They've met then. I wonder when that happened?_ Janine waved a small hand in front of the mouse's eyes.

"He's fine! Just put him on your shoulder!" The blond boy glanced between his friend and his partner uncertainly. "Just trust me!" A small whirlpool began to swirl in the middle of the bay. The Spearow and Pidgey began to shriek and cry wildly as the whirlpool grew in strength. Then a tornado shot from the vortex, making his companions scream and the residents of Pallet cheer. The twister fell as quickly as it rose, creating waves that pushed the few remaining people in the water to the shore. Like flipping on a switch, the feeding frenzy began. Grudges older than mankind fell to the wayside as the bird Pokemon raced to snag fish of all shapes, colors, and sizes from the air.

Fearow and Pidgeotto were little more than streaks as they darted about in the sparsely clouded sky. Ritchie stared gaping while the Pokemon were wide-eyed at the display. Crowie squeaked and took to the sky with two great flaps of her blue wings. Gary paid them little mind. His world was absorbed by violet eyes and giggles like a tinkling bell. Janine turned to him and he was certain her smile outshone the sun. He snapped to the feeding with flushed cheeks. Gary choked when he saw his Magmar grinning at him so widely it bordered on maniacal. Aria's grin widened when she glanced at the shinobi by Gary's side. "Don't you say a word," he growled.

The Magmar's yellow beak like mouth fell into her version of a smug smirk. When he turned back the birds were scooping fish off the surface of the bay. The water Pokemon would be let out to clean it up later. A Kingler that looked rather large for its relative youth was already well at work on that. "That was great!" Janine cheered pumping a fist. "I've never seen a twister like that!"

"I've never even seen a feeding," Ritchie confessed looking dazed. "Are they all like this?"

"They are here," Gary declared with a proud smile. The water in the center of the bay rippled before Wave's great head emerged. His friends gasped as the Gyarados swam toward them. It was easy to forget how his grandfather's partner must have looked to outsiders. Even though Gary couldn't see much of Oak's record it was undeniable that Wave was the strongest Gyarados in the League's recorded history. He was nearly twice the length of the average Gyarados and was as broad as a car. The black scales of Wave's underbelly were littered with tiny scars, and three large ones. His red eyes were the size of a man's hand, his teeth were longer than a short knife, and the crown atop his head was larger than a man's head. The Gyarados leaned toward them and their Pokemon's froze as though they were in the face of death itself. All except one.

Aria hopped onto Wave's neck with a cheerful chirp. Gary laughed at his friend's baffled expressions. Wave was a titan among Pokemon, the devil of the sea according to the history books written in the Sinnoh region. But to Gore and Aria and the other Pokemon of the corral he was just grandpa.

Xxxxxxx

"Sorry, the professor's still not ready to see anybody yet," Tracy told him with a shrug. The black-haired green-eyed young man was far too blasé about the matter for Gary's tastes. "You know how it goes. League stuff," he explained as he continued to paint.

"He's been locked up in his lab for two days," Gary said, his eyebrow twitching.

"I'm just the messenger, man," his grandfather's assistant replied as he put his brush into the pocket of his light green shirt.

"Right, I know. Sorry," Gary huffed running a hand through his spiky brown hair. Duchess glared at Tracy with blue eyes shifting pink as she activated her psychic powers. "Duchess!" he hissed, making the Slowpoke flinch. She peered up at him, her large blue eyes confused. If Gary didn't see the pink glow fading in her gaze he might have believed her to be harmless. The trainer was beginning to wonder if all cute appearances hid a darker side. Vulpix were small and soft vixen with large eyes and fluffy tails. They were also manipulative, cunning, and ruthless predators who were willing to slit the throats of their own sisters to strengthen their position in the pack. Even Janine managed to befriend Gaari long enough to give the ghost a nickname. Gary sighed. "Let me know when he gets out okay?"

"Yeah sure," Tracy murmured his eyes intent on his painting. Gary blinked, Tracy was usually polite to the point it annoyed his brother. Curiosity peaked, he leaned over the older boy's shoulder. It was a slender young woman with long brown hair reminiscent of autumn leaves. If her gray eyes were storm clouds, then her smile was the sun after the rain. The straw hat and yellow sun dress she wore tickled at the back of his mind. "Doesn't that girl look like my sister a bit?" Gary asked furrowing his brow.

Tracy stiffened to such a degree the younger trainer was certain his neck had to have been in pain. "Of course not!" he responded jumping to his feet, making Gary recoil. Tracy gathered his brushes swifter than an Arcanine could run and bolted. The younger trainer blinked. He'd dropped a small notebook in his rushed. _You'd think his life was in danger._ Gary's brows raised to his hairline. The girl from the painting was drawn in a yellow bikini. Her smile in this picture was playful in a way he didn't appreciate. This was definitely his sister. An urge to give Tracy to Pins momentarily overwhelmed his reason. Gary was just imagining an over thirty-inch horn piercing Tracy's heart when it occurred to him he was overreacting. He sighed. He was acting like Ash. Or Gore. He shuddered. One should never go full Gore.

Gary pocketed the notebook. He would deal with his grandfather's assistant later. He turned back to the lab. Daisy wasn't even sure their grandfather was eating the food they slipped under the door for him. _I should have just made him tell me everything the moment I got back._ He waffled with the decision for the first two days instead. It infuriated him. It wasn't something he would've done before the incident. Gary placed a hand over his chest as an ache began to develop. His scar ached whenever he remembered Aria nearly dying because he his ego was injured without fail. Gary shook his head. He had more important things to think on at the moment.

The stakes were too high for him not to at least confront the professor. If he was mistaken, then he was just a foolish child. If he was right and the Fog's actions were connected to the Pokemon of their regions becoming so unpredictable, there could be other risks to the country the League didn't know about. His grandfather would have the answer, he always did. That knowledge was what gave him the courage to bring his suspicions to his grandfather a day ago. Then he let Janine talk him into showing her where Aria was born. A part of him wondered if agreeing to that last distraction had more to do with Ritchie not being there when Gary showed her the pit where his partner was born. _I may be a bit weak to a pretty face._ She was pretty too, especially when she smiled and her violet eyes shone like jewels.

Duchess nuzzled his leg. "I'll get you a book later," Gary promised with a smile. Pride welled up in his chest when she crooned. _I bet Ash doesn't have any Pokemon that can read yet._ Gary smirked. Any victory over his brother as a trainer was welcome.

The two had competed against one another for as long as their mother could remember. They competed in everything, whether it was strength, or speed, or intellect. It seemed fitting they would become rivals when they became trainers as well. At first Gary was undeniably superior.

He was there when his partner came into the world, shrieking and kicking and spitting soot and tiny wisps of flame. Aria was easily the strongest among her clutch. Gary knew the moment he the Magby he wanted her to be his partner. It wasn't surprising Ash would decide he wanted her too after he learned of her birth. Gary and Ash tried to convince their grandfather that they were one worthy of being the feisty Magby's partner for two months. In the end Gary being slightly older let him keep Aria.

He'd laughed when Ash woke up to a Swinub piglet in his lap a day before he would have received a Charmander. His sense of triumph only grew when the piglet refused to be separated from Ash, even when Wave intervened. The stubbornness of the Swinub line was legendary to the point that stubborn as a Piloswine was a common saying in Sinnoh. They constantly required food, weren't half as intelligent as young Onix or Phanpy, and had the sense of self preservation of a stick.

But Ash made a partner of Gore. Aria shot a spark first, but Gore snorted snow just a week later, even though his species grew much slower. She mastered Teleport and the Swinub mastered Mud Slap. Gary found the better paying odd jobs. He was smarter than Ash. He had befriended every student in their class. He had the more gifted Pokemon. Yet Ash was always just a half-step behind him. Then the piglet turned three and tripled in size. When he found his grandfather's partner teaching Gore to mold his snow the same weekend his grandfather decided to take Ash with him beyond the corral jealousy unlike any he'd ever experienced overtook him.

Early the next morning, he stole a Pokeball from his grandfather's lab and took his bike into the woods. A Scyther had been born several months before. He would prove himself by catching it. Aria was as impressive as ever. She cornered the Scyther with an Ember and a devastating punch to its middle. Then a shadow passed over them and he felt a sharp pain. The next thing Gary remembered was waking to Aria in a puddle of her own blood.

He ran a hand through his hair. _Why am I remembering this again?_ It certainly wasn't something to get nostalgic over. "Yo!" the chirped greeting made him blink. Then Janine swung in front of him while hanging from a tree branch with her legs. Gary squawked and backpedaled over his Slowpoke, making himself trip. He groaned. "Didja see your grandpa?" she asked before flipping to the ground.

"N-no," Gary responded gasping. She offered him a small lightly calloused hand. Frowning slightly, he took it. Duchess glared at him as though it was his fault he tripped. His grandfather once told him women banded together against men at times. He was beginning to see the truth of the statement. He recalled the Slowpoke after promising to buy her a book again.

"What's wrong?" she inquired giving him a concerned look. He knew she wasn't talking about accidently tripping him. The shinobi was more perceptive than he would of thought given her hobbies.

"It's nothing," Gary responded staring at his grandfather's lab.

"Oh," Janine murmured. "Let's go get breakfast then!" she chirped. She tugged him by the arm toward the house. _Aria lying in a pool of her own blood almost large enough to have meant she couldn't be saved._ She'd come dangerous close to bleeding out. Janine squeaked when he snapped back toward the lab.

"We're going to see him now," Gary declared marching to the lab and dragging the shinobi with him. The trainer wasn't going to risk his grandfather's wrath alone. They reached it, and he took a deep breath. He opened the door. The trainer blinked. The lights were off. Doubt creeped into his mind. _Is he even here?_

"Where is he? Why're the lights out?" Janine asked poking her head inside. "This isn't the wrong lab right?"

"There's only one giant lab in Pallet. He's probably in his office," Gary answered giving her a blank look. _I can't tell if she's serious or messing with me sometimes._ There were times where he was almost convinced she was actually a rather manipulative and calculating individual. Her getting her scarf caught in so many doors more or less destroyed that theory. His grandfather and father told him he'd never understand women. Gary hated not understanding what was around him too much to not at least make an attempt. _Back to the drawing board. Again._

He flicked on the lights. "Oi, look here," the shinobi said pointing downward. Gary's eyes narrowed. The white tiles that made up the floor had a thin layer of dust on them. The main room was abandoned as well. _Ms. Susan and Mr. Brown aren't here?_ It wasn't that unusual, he allowed. His grandfather's aides often left the lab to tend to the corral when Oak was working on something privately. The brown, wooden bookshelves along the far wall had a fair amount of dust building on them too. _They've been gone for a while then._ Mr. Brown cleaned the laboratory to a degree that bordered on religious. Ash often joked he was their grandfather's wife.

Gary smiled when he saw the three Pokeballs on the metal table in the center of the room. It wouldn't be much longer before a new group of Rookies would be receiving their lifelong partners. They wouldn't be participating in any major tournaments, but the experience of caring for a Pokemon at home would be more than.

The thought made his back stiffen. It had been nearly two years since he left to start his journey. A trainer wasn't considered a Rookie after their fifteenth birthday, even if the majority of those trainers didn't actually leave home until they were fifteen. It was an odd thought. A small finger poked him between the ribs. He squeaked, then glared at Janine. She knew he hated that. "There's something weird in that direction," she said, pointing to the small hallway that led to the back.

 _And you just had to poke me in the ribs didn't you?_ She knew he was sensitive there. Rolling his eyes, Gary hurried toward the hall. He flicked on the hall's light before freezing. A low growling was coming from behind his grandfather's door. They exchanged a look before their hands fell over their respective partner's Pokeball as one. They inched to the door. Gary froze, a shiver going down his spine when he heard a deeper growl.

"That growl is just like his," Janine breathed before racing past him. Gary scrambled after her.

"Wait-" the shinobi threw open the door and froze. There was a flash and a roar that boomed like thunder sounded making them jump. "What the hell is it?" Gary demanded as he tried to steady his breathing.

"It's some kinda cat?" she replied in an uncertain tone. _A cat with a roar like that? Pyroar? No, not that._ His innards froze. _A cat that roars like thunder?_ He took a deep breath and strode into his grandfather's office. Janine stood in front of his grandfather's computer with her small fists were clenched so tightly her knuckles were turning white.

The mangled corpses of Magmar, Growlithe, and Ponyta made him go as pale as death. A few feet in front of the massacre was an Arcanine with a slashed throat. There was an unmoving Magby and two Growlithe lying beneath the great dog's body. His heart sank when he saw another Growlithe. There wasn't even a tuft of what should've grown into a cream colored mane atop the tiny dog Pokemon's head. Its stillness was unnatural. He sighed shakily. Gary knew it was dead too. _Were they chased into the town? That must be it, a hunt. No, this was not a hunt; this was a slaughter._ Gary had seen duels end with a horn to the belly before. He knew full well it wasn't unusual for battles between Pokemon to end in death.

But it was unusual to see a slaughter on this level, there just wasn't any sense in going this far. The influence of a human partner was the only thing that kept trained Pokemon from going for the kill as casually as regular creatures or wild Pokemon would. Wild Pokemon were every bit as ruthless as plain animals. Predatory Pokemon preyed upon on the young, the sick, the weak, and the old first. Even wild Pokemon like female Donphan who were considered harmless unless provoked were known to kill Nidoran newborns to avenge their fallen herd mates. The older wild Pokemon tended to be wiser, calmer, and could use the full extent of their roughly human-level intellect without their instincts as animals overwhelming their reason. This was why they were far more reasonable, much more scrupulous, and were far less likely to attack young Pokemon or humans without good reason. They kept the young ones in line. _What could have done this?_

He saw it then. The creature responsible for this butchery. It was a fairly muscular cat Pokemon with a white mane that flowed back into a long rain cloud that was a very light purple. Its two upper canine teeth that he estimated to be seven inches long. Its golden fur glowed with its immense power. The creature had to have been a smilodon. Smilodon was the power species of ancient cats that were better known as the saber tooth. Gary swallowed harshly. Smilodon went extinct over ten-thousand years ago, and he didn't know about any saber tooth Pokemon. _Just how old is this thing?_ He was soundly convinced the over a hundred foot Onix that ruled the Mt. Hideaway chain was the father of all giant the giant Onix. He was the great Onix King of Legend that protected Pewter in times of great need over the millennia. If he was correct, then the stone serpent was at least ten-thousand years old.

The beast stood about six feet tall and must have been broader than two tigers would be together. _It has the bulk of a liger too? At the very least a big liger._ The liger wasn't just the biggest of all the big cats, it was the largest cat that had ever walked the face of the earth. Its average weight of nine-hundred pounds was twice that of a male lion's size. No, even saying it weighed as much as two average ligers may have been underestimating this savage's bulk. It had the build of what was widely considered to be the most powerful cat pound for pound in the saber tooth, and was at least the size of the largest ligers.

"What the hell is that thing?" the shinobi's voice was shaking in a way he'd not heard since Lavender.

Something snapped into place _. Wait,_ _a giant golden saber tooth with a storm cloud upon its back? To think the saber tooth of legend that ruled all electric-types still draws breath._ "That thing is the Rolling Thunder," Gary murmured with a harsh exhale. _Is this Pokemon immortal? Could it truly be a god?_ Surely gods were just tales told to frighten children into obedience? If the Onix King was ancient, then what else could this Pokemon be but an immortal?

"Hey, does this place look familiar to you at all?" he inquired, turning his gaze onto the town itself. The blood that dripped from the Thunder's claws was souring his stomach. It seemed every other window in the town had a crack, if it wasn't outright smashed in. The houses were made of a wood that was nearly black. The concrete road sandwiched between the two rows of houses was around fifteen-feet wide. Gary was certain knew this town.

"Yeah, we saw this on the news a few months back. Don't you remember? It's called Dark Town I think," Janine scowled, "It's that troublesome little town southeast of Saffron with the feuding gyms." She bit her lip. "The Gyms are pretty weak, and that cat is bad news. But if they work together maybe they'll be okay-" her voice cracked when a familiar monarch padded into the camera's view. Hellfang's friendly eyes became pools of melting gold as he glared at the saber tooth. The unarmored lower portion of the great Houndoom's right side now had an angry red mark that ran all the way to his neck. _So he lost after all. That's a gift from the ancient Onix King, no doubt._ Why else would the great dog be in the south?

Hellfang snorted two small gouts of flame before pawing at the ground. Gary was certain Janine had stopped breathing as they watched the cat bare its giant fangs. "Who do you think is gonna win?"

"I haven't a clue," he admitted after a tense beat. His first instinct was to declare the Houndoom superior, but another scour of the area robbed him of that foolish notion. While the Arcanine was certainly impressive by their standards, it was still noticeably smaller than Acaya. The Arcanine's loss didn't faze him. It would be nothing to Talc, and it was certainly weaker than the Nidoking they'd fought in Lavender. Gary would go so far as to say Aria and Gore could challenge the Arcanine as they were now.

No, none of the Pokemon the Rolling Thunder killed could be considered unusually powerful. What he found disturbing was that there weren't any signs of a struggle from the Pokemon the saber tooth had killed. It appeared they didn't even have a chance to defend themselves. An Arcanine being defeated before being able to react to a foe? Agatha's Gengar could do such a thing, but even she couldn't attack at such an incredible speed the Pokemon behind Arcanine couldn't react.

Gary found himself cursing his lack of knowledge. He only knew what Ash and Janine had told him of Hellfang's fighting style, and he didn't know anything about the Rolling Thunder's techniques. No Pokemon on this level was a fool, so the cat meeting Hellfang's soul piercing gaze in a blatant challenge couldn't have been born of arrogance. It was utterly confident in its capacity. It thought it had moves in its repertoire that could put the Houndoom down. _There aren't any advantages for either of them._ As much as he wanted to voice absolute confidence in Champion Karen's partner, Gary found he couldn't. Not even to offer his friend a small measure of comfort.

A flock of black birds circled over the wild dog and smilodon. _That's a murder of Honchkrow and Murkrow._ The largest black bird cawed to Hellfang and received a drawn out growl. The birds of the murder blasted gusts of wind into the roofs of the wooden houses until they began to creak, forcing the frantic people within the houses to flee on foot. _He ordered them to attack the houses then._ The Thunder crouched. _Houndoom has one of the best slicing bites in the world, Beat Up and his armor should make up for its advantage in size._

"A saber tooth has weak jaws and its fangs are actually pretty fragile," Gary said, "But those claws are far worse than any other cat Pokemon's I've ever seen." Houndoom claws weren't very sharp. They preferred the brute force of Beat Up to a Scratch attack.

Lightning danced across the Thunder's body sporadically while Hellfang activated a Will-O-Wisp and Flame Charge combo. The black wisps of Nasty Plot followed a moment later. Then the saber tooth flashed forward in a golden blur. The cat swiped at Hellfang's head with a gigantic paw. The dog Pokemon ducked beneath the blow before bucking his head up at the cat's belly.

The Thunder hissed and reared back to stand on its hind legs. The Houndoom's front claws were consumed by the black sheen of Beat Up as he smashed his paws into the cat's chest, sending the electric-type tumbling back. It shoved a claw into the earth to steady itself, then it narrowed its eyes. Hellfang's upper body had only just come down when he was thrown into the air with a startled bark.

"Extrasensory too?" Janine cried while the Houndoom flipped to face the cat's charge. Hellfang snarled, then spewed a gout of flame almost as wide as the street. The cat stomped to a stop just before the purple flames consumed it. Hellfang's eyes narrowed when the flames began to shoot up into the air. The Houndoom cut off the flow with a snap of his jaws. When the fire became wisps, ground scorched to the color of ash was revealed and a pink dome shaped barrier as tall as the first story of the houses were revealed. Lightning arced along the barrier before shooting out in all directions. Glass shattered, wood splintered, and nails flew as the houses crumbled under the electric assault.

 _Every one of those has to be stronger than Sparky's Thunderbolt!_ Hellfang leaped several yards back when a couple of the arcs neared him. Then the dog blasted a thick black beam that melted through the barrier with ease, only for the Thunder to roll away from the attack. Hellfang howled, blasting a wave of black energy as wide as the street at his foe. The Thunder shot a concentrated stream of electricity at the Snarl, only for the wave to crash through it with a mere moment of delay. The smilodon roared furiously when it was thrown off its feet.

Hellfang's canines were coated with a layer of purple flame as he bounded after the cat. The Thunder hit the ground and skidded before rolling to its feet. Its great claws extended again, forcing it to a stop. It glared and Hellfang leaped atop a home. Dust flew where the dog had been standing, making Gary and Janine jump. Rather than aim for the dog, the cat opted to send several small bursts at the nearby homes. Hellfang froze, his eyes widening slightly. Small stones, shards of glass, and nails, rose into the air as though they had a will of their own, then began spinning at a speed he could only process as a blur.

The Thunder growled, sending the stones and wood surging at the dog king. Hellfang snarled, then barked a black wave of energy at the projectiles that turned them to dust. A boulder the size of the great dog himself flew into his side, throwing him off the house with a startled yelp. Hellfang flipped to land on his feet, and electricity began to concentrate in the cat Pokemon's fangs. _Is that Thunder Fang? It couldn't be planning on biting him with those fangs, could it?_ No, it had to know they were far too fragile for that to work.

"Stop!" The roared demand made Janine and Gary flinch. The camera moved to focus on a horde of Pokemon and trainers. A Scyther who appeared to be on the verge of evolution headed the group. _They must be the Gym Leaders._ "The next one to make a move will face the full power of the Yas!" a tall, scrawny man with the impressive Scyther at his side warned. Hellfang cocked his head to the side while the Thunder glanced at him dismissively. The Gym Leader was already beginning to sweat. Many of those behind him were openly trembling. It was hard to blame them.

"Not just the Yas Gym!" a deep voice declared. A man with an Electabuzz who bordered on evolution stood before another group of trainers and Pokemon. The bipedal cat flared arcs of electricity between its antennae and growled. The Pokemon and trainers behind it still looked uneasy, but took stances too.

After a tense moment, Hellfang whuffed. Then he leaped over one of the houses and bounded away at speeds he would have once believed only an Arcanine's Extremespeed could reach. The Thunder glanced at Electabuzz and something flashed in the bipedal cat's eyes. Electabuzz shook its head vigorously, then leveled a weak glare at the saber tooth. The Thunder snorted in an unconcerned fashion, before trotting toward the group led by the trainer with the Scyther.

It neared. Scyther hissed, bringing its scythes to bare. To their credit those behind Scyther didn't flee. _Or they just can't move._ It drew closer still, and Scyther leaped at with a glowing scythe. The Thunder sidestepped it, then swatted the praying mantis with a glowing tail. Scyther shrieked as it was slung back at its trainer. The Yas Gym Leader was thrown off his feet and skidded several feet back with a pained cry.

The left side of Scyther's chest had been caved in by the blow. The praying mantis Pokemon lay sprawled out atop its partner with its eyes shut. Gary swallowed when the Gym Leader wheezed and clutched his sternum. "I-it's okay, bug Pokemon can survive almost anything," Janine told him with a tremulous sigh. Gary wasn't sure if she was trying to comfort him or herself. He didn't care. The sense of surrealism that had overwhelmed Gary made him numb.

The Yas Gym scattered to part for the Thunder as it sauntered toward. The saber tooth didn't even deign to glance at the gym members when passing. The camera faded to black when the Thunder walked from view. "How did we not know about this?" Gary whispered.

"It happened a day before you returned," a deep hoarse voice told them. They jumped, their hands falling to their belts. His grandfather sipped coffee from his Cool Grandpa Mug. They sighed. Samuel Oak regarded them without emotion. "I intended to tell you after I was finished with my... work."

The professor shut his eyes and exhaled through his mouth heavily. "I trust you have questions," he stated.

"I do."

"Good. I'll explain everything in the jeep." Gary stared. "What were you expecting?" Oak laughed, "Did you think I'd take you to see a Hypno? Threaten to feed you to Wave? Turn you into Meowsy's scratching post? Turn you over to Acaya?" Gary felt his cheeks begin to burn brighter with every word.

"Well-" he began.

"Kinda yeah," Janine put in blinking. "I thought I'd have to at least stab you or throw a shuriken at you or something," she mumbled in a tone that bordered on sulking.

"Just going to ignore that last comment," Oak decided after a moment. Janine pouted. Gary just stared at her. _How did I survive a year with her again?_ "Come on, kids," the professor told them rolling his eyes. They glanced at each other uncertainly before following him. His grandfather paused when he reached the side entrance they'd come through. "Oh gods!" Oak cried shutting the door.

"What?" Gary demanded, his heart pounding in his ears as his blood came alive.

"It's natural light!" the professor groaned covering his eyes with his free hand. Gary's jaw slackened. Oak snorted. "You spend a couple days in here, It'll hurt worse than a Houndoom's bite. Trust me, son, I've dealt with them both."

"He's right ya know," Janine uttered, "Reminds me of the time I got locked into a closet. See, it took me seven hours to get out, and when I did I ran outside to get Dad." She winced. "Hurts worse than poison." Oak nodded, his expression sympathetic. Gary glanced between them. _I'm surrounded by lunatics._ Oak shielded his eyes as he opened the door again.

"Why didn't we know about this?" Gary couldn't resist asking any longer.

"Well, I guess it's because you spent too much time reading," Oak replied taking another sip of his coffee. "I mean, I know you and Aria were shaken up badly, but you still really should have spent more time outside in your last couple years here."

"W-what?"

"Your necklace," the professor said, "Necklaces with Pokeballs on them went out of style decades ago, Gary." Janine laughed while Gary scowled.

Hellfang! The Titan of the Deep! Rolling Thunder!" he hissed. Gary took a breath. Losing his temper wouldn't help anything. The old man had a habit of shutting down if you were rude to him too, which meant he had to be especially careful.

"Raikou," Oak corrected when they reached the jeep.

"Raikou? That's the cat's real name, huh," Janine murmured rubbing her chin.

"Yes, Raikou, Entei, and Suicune, that's their names," the professor explained. _He must mean the Thunder, the Water Walker, and the Roaring Fire._ Oak gave a smile tinged with nostalgia. "It's been quite some time since I heard of that old jellyfish, unless he's the one causing trouble in Porta Vista." Gary froze. The incredibly strong storm over Porta Vista started after a nearby oil spill. He'd thought Raikou may have been the cause of it, but the Titan made far more sense. The sea in that area had become so fierce it was almost impossible to sail. The winds were powerful enough to knock someone over. He narrowed his eyes. The Titan dwelled in Sinnoh, why would he be here? "Gary! Don't just stand there gawking or you'll miss out! I'm only doing this talk once."

 _I'll focus on Raikou now!_ "Right!" He rushed to the other side of the front seat. Janine leaped into the seat. She stuck her tongue out at him. "It'd be just swell if you kids didn't jump in my car," Oak grumbled.

"Sorry," Janine uttered keeping a smug gaze leveled at Gary.

"Shouldn't we get Ash?" Gary inquired while scowling at the shinobi. The jeep took off the moment his door shut, making him squawk and slamming his head against the headrest

"There'd be no point," the professor told them with a shrug. "Ash isn't the type to need this sort of talk." Gary furrowed his brow. "He and Gore probably already has an idea as to what they need to do," he elaborated when Janine gave him a look. "Besides, if he wanted to know anything he'd just come to me instead of sneaking around in my office." Gary winced at the accusatory tone.

His grandfather pulled out his Pokedex when they neared the large gates into the Oak Corral. The gates creaked open to reveal a dirt path that had two white fences running parallel to one another. This section of the corral was a simple open grassland. It was home to Poliwag, Pidgey, Sentret and the other gentle species of Pokemon that would be given to Rookies. After a few moments of listening to the hum of the jeep he found his voice. "Why aren't the books we're given in school more accurate?" he said.

"I think he means Hellfang is a lot stronger than Wave or Tiny but the descriptions of him make it sound like he's not much better," Janine put in as she stared out at the playing Pokemon.

"I doubt the gap between them is as big as you two seem to think," Oak said with a chuckle. The man kept his gray eyes on the road while he weighed his words. "Do you know why the second to last war with Sinnoh started?" Gary's brow creased. _The war that was fought ninety years ago?_ He and Janine exchanged an uncertain glance. Everyone knew the Indigo League went to war because Champion Macy was killed by the Gym Leader of Sunyshore City. _Is this a test of some kind?_ When they didn't answer, he continued. "It was money of course," Oak uttered in a blase tone.

"You know the official story. The truth is, Macy and every member of her team that was with her were killed when they fought Sleet, the old Abomasnow in the Sinnoh mountains," the professor revealed. "Very territorial creature, Sleet. Even the Onix King watches his step around her. Only those baring the official symbol of her partner's league are safe. Macy was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time." He paused to let them process his words.

"I-I don't get it... Why did we fight then?" Janine asked her brow creasing.

"Her successor created quite a fortune for himself selling rare jewels. A couple years before Macy's death a great many jewels were found in the Sinnoh mountains," Oak began, and Gary felt something sink in his chest. _A two-year long war just for jewels?_ "He knew Macy's death would frighten the people and put pressure on the League to respond. So he destroyed all knowledge of Sleet he could find and claimed the Champion of the Lily League ordered Macy's death." The professor eased the jeep to a stop. "After that all he had to do was apply pressure on the weaker Gym Leaders." Gary leaned in his seat. Surely no one could be capable of such a thing? No, he knew some were capable of it, Giovanni was proof of that. He'd just never dreamed a Champion of Indigo would be so petty.

"We lost and were forced to limit our trade with Almia for decades... Only my esteemed predecessor considered that war any sort of victory, and why wouldn't he? His pockets grew quite full. Yes, fat enough to completely cover all of his desires for the rest of his life." Oak paused, leaning back in his seat.

"A year later he began to bury information on all the Transcendents. It's not clear why he did this, even to me. Perhaps he realized knowledge of any Pokemon on that level could expose him for what he was. I suppose it's possible he was planning to blame the actions of a Transcendent on the Fiore region, so he could justify war with them." The old man got out of the jeep. "The truth of the matter is this; the league began to prepare for war with Fiore after we confirmed the rumors of their finding seven Fire Stones in one night within their Fire Cavern."

 _That's why some of the older books are nondescriptive? Someone would've been suspicious in that era, and would want to investigate._ As horrible as the man was, his political skill was undeniable. Gary couldn't fathom the maneuvering necessary to cover up his atrocities. "Wait, what about the books that were released about fifty years ago?" Gary asked. Champion Michaels passed away sleeping long before that. It was enough to make his chest burn. The man died surrounded by his descendants and more wealth than any man could possibly spend. Thousands died for his wealth yet he lived to a ripe old age. Never even spending a night in prison. Where was the justice there?

"His successor, Tom Smith, had friends who benefited greatly from the public being misinformed." Oak winced while stretching his back. Gary placed a hand on Janine's shoulder when she drew breath to ask another question. The professor didn't want to talk about Champion Smith. His grandfather always shut down when the man was brought up.

The professor grimaced a bit. "I'm sorry you had to learn from those old things, son. "Hopefully we'll be able to afford better books soon," Oak sighed. "I swear, the price of those advanced math and Pokemon science books took a few years off my life," he muttered his eye twitching. Janine snickered, receiving a scowl from the professor.

Gary flinched when the door shut. He hadn't even realized they'd left the open plains of the Oak corral. The terrain where the majority of the fire Pokemon dwelled was as open as the plains. Large boulders littered the area in a manner he found to be rather similar to the way the tall trees of the plains were scattered about. The burned stones beneath the jeep's tires and the small scorch marks on the boulders were probably the only eye catching features in this habitat. It was still one of the most dangerous in the corral.

Gary cursed under his breath. He'd been so caught up in his thoughts he hadn't realized they'd driven straight through the Oak Corral. Being caught unaware around wild Pokemon was an excellent way to become a meal. Especially true when one dealt with fire-types. They were almost solely predatory Pokemon, possessed exceptional speed and were amongst the most dangerous of Pokemon at range. It was all the more appalling because he knew Arbok called the terrain home too. _Even Ash and Gore wouldn't be this dumb._ "If you want to know more you'd best follow me," Oak said before shutting the door.

They exchanged a look, then followed the professor.

"Hey," Janine spoke up frowning thoughtfully, "What makes a Pokemon become a tran- whatever?" _Really? You already forgot what they're called?_ She pouted when she saw the look he was giving her.

"A Transcendent? Well, there appears to be three methods. We know every Pokemon has the potential to transcend, but there have never been more than ten Transcendents in a region at any time, so it's safe to conclude that rather extraordinary circumstances are necessary to create the right environment for a Pokemon to transcend." Oak raised a hand when a couple of Growlithe ran into view. The dogs stared at them for a moment, then bolted when his grandfather lowered a hand toward his waist.

After they left their sight the professor continued, "Wild Pokemon that go through this final evolution tend to be about middle-aged for their species. Gradually they grow stronger and stronger until they hit a wall. Once they reach the border of transcendence, they require a final stimulus, which of course varies between extreme happiness to extreme anger." _A wall? That makes sense, I suppose. It almost sounds like they're overcoming a mental barrier of sorts._

"There's an old Rhydon wandering around near Rock Tunnel with a herd of her descendants stands a solid chance of transcending. When her latest grandchild was born she came close. Next time, I suspect she will break through that glass ceiling," Oak added. A smile broke out on his face. The earth in front of them seemed to rise slightly before a yellow-furred head with long ears surfaced.

The Sandslash pushed itself out of the earth. It was a bipedal mouse that looked to be slightly larger than the average three feet and three inches tall of its kind. The foot-long spines on its back, and the six inch claws on its arms gave Gary pause. Its blinked big black eyes up at them. The porcupine seemed unsure of what to make of Janine's scarf. "Is your grandmother here?"

Sandslash cooed before turning and striding away. After a few steps it turned back around with an irritated squeak. "Okay, okay, we're coming," Oak assured the mouse, holding his hands up in a sign of surrender. Gary flinched after being poked in the ribs.

"Isn't she adorable," Janine cooed.

He eyed the Sandslash carefully as it sliced a tiny tree in two with a single swipe. "Uh, yeah," Gary replied. Sandslash glanced at him over its shoulder. It heard his hesitation. "Absolutely precious," he added quickly. The porcupine cooed and increased its pace slightly.

"Remember son, a girl is always cute, even when she's not," Oak advised, "Especially if she's got six and a half inch long claws." Sandslash's pace slowed. "And it's absolutely true in this case!" he said raising his voice. "Now, I was saying something before wasn't I?"

"The three ways to become a transcendent," Janine piped up while twirling a small knife. _Where does she even hide those?_

"The second way seems to be related to the way a person's energy interacts with a Pokemon's energy," Oak said ducking beneath the branch of a rare tree. "Countless life and death experiences, particularly when the Pokemon and his partner are young, certainly seem to help the process come along. Willpower is equally vital to the process. I've found a bit of stubbornness goes a long way." _Stubborn as a Piloswine._ Gary snorted. Ash and Gore were set then.

"A person has energy?" he asked.

"Yes-"

"Yup! Everything has aura! Trees, people, Pokemon, regular creatures, and even rocks," Janine put in with a beam. Her smile became sheepish when his grandfather glared at her.

"Yes, we do," Oak drawled keeping his glare leveled at the shinobi, "Our energy is the energy found within all things. The power that decides a Pokemon's type is a different beast entirely…" Janine lifted her scarf to shield her face. She said it could prevent her from being poisoned, Gary wondered if it could protect her from an old man that hadn't slept in two days. After another moment he clear his throat. "A person's aura appears to multiply a Pokemon's progress, which is why they tend to hunt humans less. They know they need us. They don't know why, and neither do we."

"What about the third way?" Gary asked rubbing his chin. Oak stopped abruptly.

"The third way is…" he murmured. Gary and Janine leaned forward. "I haven't a clue what the third way is!" Oak laughed when they gaped. "Well, I don't remember saying I knew everything about Mega Evolution," the professor told them grinning widely. "All I know is that most of these Transcendent Pokemon were regular creatures at one point. The only exceptions in the Indigo League are Raikou, Suicune, and Entei. I can't tell you anything that you couldn't find in a fairy tale."

"Right, thanks Grandpa," Gary said nodding. The immature part of him that was still very much a child was disappointed. That part of him had been hoping for a grander conspiracy. The revelation that Champion Smith and Michaels were war profiteers who covered up the strength of the Transcendents to create an atmosphere for war was horrible, but not quite what he'd pictured. Gary blinked when he saw Janine's smile had returned. _A few minutes ago we were too stunned to talk, and now I'm thinking of this sort of thing?_ He turned to look at his grandfather. Oak put them at ease with just a few words. _Is this what makes someone a Champion?_ A Sandslash that stood a head taller than the one guiding them rose from the earth with its arms crossed over its chest. Janine gasped.

Gary understood. Granyte's mastery over the earth was probably the greatest in the two regions that made up the Indigo League.

She could open holes with the smallest gesture, and no longer needed her arms to tunnel through the earth. A simple wiggle was enough. His grandfather told him the Sandslash was almost as strong as Master Bruno's partner, Tiny. Gary smiled admiringly at his grandfather's back. Oak told him once Granyte was the third strongest member of his team. If Granyte was that strong, then who knew how strong Arcia and Wave were? He doubted Oak was as powerful as Yellow or Lyra or Dreyfus, but his grandfather was still an exceptionally strong Champion.

Xxxxxxxx

"So, Gary's here too, you mean," Ash said, tugging on the bill of his hat. Gore snorted before returning to running his tusk along a large rock. _Where is he then? And where's Wave?_ He'd missed a good portion of the feeding when Ron's Onix almost fell on Grace. The vixen was still glaring at the giant stone serpent for that. He truly wanted to help Druz, but he needed time away from this affectionate Grace. Ash lost a few years of his lifespan when she'd licked Hellfire. _Excellent blackmails material, though._ Turned out the Pokedex could take pictures. Who would have guessed?

King gave the tiny Krabby creeping up behind him a deathly glare. The younger crab squealed and ran back to the bay. It should have known it would not be finding charity with a Kingler. A Seel pup crawled over to them with a dopey grin. It eyed King's pile of fish hungrily. The pup's mother growled, and it crawled back to her. The massive white seal glared at King once the pup reached her side. The Kingler rumbled, displaying his giant claw. "You don't want to do that here," Ash muttered, glancing at the small pod of Seel and Dewgong approaching from their right. King's eyes narrowed before he lowered his claw.

The Kingler didn't fear single member of the Seel family line in the slightest. No, the real issue was when they were in groups. Pods of Seel and Dewgong were known to charge Gyarados when in groups. Ash wasn't eager to test the power of their signature move either. Aurora Beam was commonly compared with Ice Fang with good reason. He heard a familiar guttural bellow. _Please, don't let this be Dewi's pup. Please, don't let this be Dewi's pup. Please, gods above if you're there, don't let us meet our end at the flippers of a seal who tried to eat a rock._

Willow quavered, prompting Ash to place a hand on her head. Dewgong grunted and nudged her pup toward the bay. The trainer sighed in relief. Dewi wouldn't be amused if they fought with a Dewgong cow. "That sort of thing happen to you often?" Ron inquired eyeing the Dewgong carefully.

 _You were watching just now, weren't you? I need braver friends._ "All the time," Ash replied, pushing himself to his feet. "Got attacked by an Onix at Mt. Moon too." Druz gave him a skeptical look until Gore chuffed insistently. The trainer ran his hand along the pendant the Clefable gave him. Grace stared at the lump beneath his shirt with glazed eyes. Ash stretched his arms, which appeared to snap her from her daze. "Later, we're going to visit the corral." More precisely, he would be finding a tree to take a nap under. Willow yawned as if in agreement.

The trainer smiled and lowered her into his bag. "King! We're leaving!" The crab gave him a withering look. "C'mon, I'm taking a nap!" King pointed at the pile between the pile of fish and the birds that were eyeing it hungrily. Ash hesitated. His Kingler was quick-tempered at the best of times. Leaving him to himself could end with several corpses.

It was true that the crab Pokemon would have to learn to get along with other Pokemon when Ash wasn't around. Gore just slept and ate when Ash left so his mood wasn't an issue, but King and Grace were too unpredictable to be left alone. Even Willow could handle herself decently for the most part. Well, handle herself might have been going a bit far. She usually just hid or slept with Gore, but he counted anything that wasn't a fight a victory. Ash took wins where he could find them at this point.

 _Wave's here, somewhere. He could handle it._ The Gyarados once scared a flock of thousands of Pidgeot with a roar. Even the alpha Pidgeot couldn't convince the flock to stand their ground. Ash didn't doubt that Grace could still be a handful for the old snake. _Oh, there's Dewi. He'll work._ "Do whatever you want. Make sure you listen to the giant Gyarados and the big bull over there," he said pointing at Dewi. The large Dewgong was balancing a ball of ice at the tip of his nose to the delight of several clapping Seel. King stared at Daisy's Dewgong disbelievingly. _Really the ball and nose thing right when I point to you?_ It was like the seal wanted King to think he was a pushover. "He's tougher than he looks," Ash offered pinching the bridge of his nose.

Hellfire looked between Dewi and the rock between his front paws. Ash sighed. "If you have to just do it while we're walking." The dog Pokemon whuffed happily. "C'mon, Grace, Gore!" he called. The boar grunted before kicking the rock into the bay and trotting to him. Ash blinked when he saw his Vulpix. Grace was roasting several fish on sticks over the small fire she had set up on a dry portion of the beach ten yards or so away.

"She'll be hanging out here then. Let's go guys," he uttered. Gore drooled as he stared at the roasting fish. "Did you really forget what happened the last time you tried to steal food from her?" The Piloswine froze. Gore did remember. How could he not? Getting your tail set on fire had to have been a traumatizing experience for an ice Pokemon. He did earn it though. Grace nearly drowned getting that fish.

Ash patted Gore's side. "Let's go," he said. The Piloswine snorted vigorously in agreement. The trainer frowned when he realized how many more people were on the beach. Willow grumbled something, prompting him to give her a soothing rub between the ears. _The town's going to be busier. I don't know how she'll handle that right now._

"Gore, we're going the other way." The Piloswine grunted, then trotted to the other side of the beach with Ash and Hellfire trailing a few steps behind. After swerving around more Pokemon and people that should be in a bay at any given time, they arrived at the pristine white houses on the other side of the beach. The houses were the most expensive in town. _Would have been nice if half of these didn't all belong to one family, that's only here a couple times a year. Who complain about the birds._ Their occasional inhabitants were rather odd. He would never know why each family member needed a house when they stayed. Ash shrugged. It didn't matter if they didn't know he was here.

They would be going through the small alley behind them. It'd be more than a little foul to the nose, but there wouldn't be nearly as much noise. Sleep deprived Ivysaur's could be as grumpy as sleep deprived Bulbasaur's. Her not being willing to truly hurt them didn't mean she wouldn't spray pollen on them. A weak Stun Spore wouldn't paralyze them, which seemed to mean she could use it on them without much remorse.

Ash had never been more thankful he was a fragile human. It was the only thing that saved him from her wrath when he deserved it. His nose crinkled. The alley was as foul as ever. _And as long as ever too._ Daisy once told him the smell was so atrocious a Growlithe died halfway through the alley. He was ashamed to admit he'd believed her.

A half-eaten piece of dark meat lay mere feet within the alley. The three metal trash cans behind the meat overflowed. A rotten fish head poked out of the middle can. Flies swarmed the cans and the meat like the garbage was the most delicious feast they'd ever laid eyes upon. The trashcan nearest the meat had what looked to be a steak poking out of its lid. _Mom can never know about this._ Saying she wouldn't handle hearing about the wasted steak well would not be giving her reaction justice.

Gore licked his snout. There was a wild gleam shining in his brown eyes the trainer didn't approve of. "No," Ash said, rolling his eyes and grabbing the boar by a floppy ear. "What did I tell you about eating out of the trash?" The pig Pokemon whined. "Still not happening," the trainer declared. "That goes for you too!" Ash hissed at Hellfire when the dog took a step toward the meat. Hellfire pouted before padding along in the alley. Ash took a deep breath and followed. The dog and his trainer cringed the deeper they went. Gore just yawned, looking rather confused by their reactions to the alley. His sensitive nose didn't seem the least bit bothered by the foulness around them. _Damn pig snout_.

Willow made an odd whistling sound he took to be of annoyance before burrowing deeper into the bag. "It'll be over soon," Ash groaned. _Why in the name of the gods did I think this was a good idea?_ A grumble from his back made his eye twitch. _Oh, right, socially awkward dinosaur._ He blinked. _Never thought I'd hear those words together a couple years ago._

Ash's brow furrowed. A golden brown inch long stinger was poking out from under the lid of the last trash can. He felt Willow stiffen in his bag. The Ivysaur's head poked out with a confused croon. Hellfire crouched, watching the stinger sway warily. Gore snorted something, and some of the tension in their forms bled out. _We can't just walk by it. It might sting us in the back._ "Pull it down," Ash whispered.

His partner trotted forward before biting the stinger gently. The Pokemon shrieked and wiggled furiously in an effort to free itself, but the swine was unaffected. Kakuna wiggled and fought for close to two minutes before it seemed to realize it wasn't budging the giant pig Pokemon. Kakuna buzzed irritably, its big black eyes glaring at Gore. The Piloswine lowered it to the ground with a huff. The golden brown cocoon like Pokemon went so still the trainer worried it might have gone into shock. A giant pig looming over you could do that to a bug. Personally, Ash thought it reflected well on Kakuna's intellect.

Then it spat a poisonous needle at his partner, which Gore smothered with a snort of snow. Kakuna's eyes bulged while the trainer snickered. It had spirit, Ash would give it that much. Attacking a Piloswine had cost countless Dragonair their lives. A recently evolved Kakuna challenging a Piloswine took guts. _Not much for brains though._

Hellfire cocked his head to the side. The dark-type within him must have urged caution, but the young dog's curious nature overwhelmed his hesitance. Kakuna glanced between the approaching Houndoom and the Piloswine boar that was standing over it. "Hellfire!" Ash snapped, making the dog Pokemon flinch. He turned to face his trainer with his ears lowered.

Ash felt guilt gnaw at him. He suppressed it and put on a stern frown. _Is that Baby-Doll Eyes?_ "You're freaking it out. Back off." While Gore and Hellfire wouldn't be hurt by the poison, Ash wouldn't be so lucky. If it used Poison Sting before Gore could restrain it and Ash was hit, he would be in mortal peril. The poison of a Weedle or a Kakuna was far deadlier than that of their evolved form. In fact, it was one of the most potent poisons one could find in the Indigo League. The potency of its poison was one of the reasons why Caterpie was the preferred starter for bug fans. Messing with a Weedle could easily be the last thing you ever did.

Which of course meant Ash had to train it. Not just because of the hazards of raising it though. A wild gleam shone in his brown eyes. Even those who considered Yellow soft agreed one of the most impressive achievements in the history of the League was the strength her Raticate possessed. Some considered raising Ratty to such a level to be as impressive as Brandon's raising his Tyranitar, Jira. Ash thought that was a horrible exaggeration. It was still pretty cool though.

Training a Beedrill to be as powerful as that Rhydon he'd fought near Rock Tunnel would easily be a legendary feat. But his goal was even loftier. He aimed to make every member of his team as strong as Tiny. When his team achieved their goal they would be even more powerful than Brandon, Dreyfus, or even Lyra's team. They'd all had six team members that were acknowledged as equal to a Champion's partner after all. The smile that bloomed on his face made Hellfire eye him warily. Gore chuffed a light breeze at him, making Ash blink. "What?"

The boar pointed at Kakuna with a hoof. "Why'd you trap it?" Covering it in mud, then hardening the mud seemed like overkill. Gore stared at him. "Right, dumb question," Ash agreed, shrugging. A wild Pokemon was always a threat. Regardless of its strength. He raised a brow at Hellfire. He turned to Kakuna when the dog gestured to the bug Pokemon.

It wasn't struggling at all. It almost looked nonchalant about its situation. Ash had never heard of a Pokemon reacting to being pinned so casually. He approached it slowly, startling it was a threat regardless of how relaxed it looked. "Wait a minute," he blinked. Don't I know you from somewhere?" Ash inquired, narrowing his eyes.

Kakuna buzzed as best it was able with the mud over its maw. The bug's golden brown armor was oddly shiny. It reminded him of a young Kingler's shell. Something clicked into place. "You're the Weedle we saved!" he said, smiling widely. A hiss from his pack made him stiffen. Kakuna and Hellfire looked highly alarmed while Gore snorted in a satisfied manner. Ash glared at the Piloswine who met his gaze evenly. _You corrupted my sweet little Bulbasaur, Pepperoni Pig._ Gore gave a grin that would send Rattata running in terror.

"That's Willow," Ash uttered patting the dinosaur through the bag. He grimaced when she shifted away from him. _And I'm in the dog house._ The trainer sighed. _Going to take a lot of berries to make up for this one._ "Gore let 'em up." The boar grunted before his mud colored eyes took on a slight hue.

Ash smirked when the mud softened around Kakuna. Certain earth manipulating techniques would always be beyond the boar, but his skill and strength with what he could use wasn't inferior to a ground-natured Piloswine. He put on a toothless smile as he turned to Kakuna. "Look, you obviously don't have a hive, so you wanna come with me?" Ash offered what he was certain was the most underwhelming capture ever.

 _I swear all my captures are weird._ The raven-haired trainer was fairly certain he defeated Grace with a thrown Seed Bomb, Hellfire, he met after a battle, and Gore wouldn't leave him alone after he got a hold of Ash's food. If anything, the Swinub captured him. His only conventional captures were Willow and King's. Ash wasn't even sure he could say he caught Willow. She was his official starter Pokemon.

Kakuna clicked, then rolled in front of him. He smiled and tossed a Pokeball, only for a string of silk to push the orb back at Ash. His smile faded slightly as he caught it. Kakuna pushed itself up so it was standing on what he believed to be a stinger. Its mandibles clacked angrily at him, making his brows raise. Hellfire stepped in front of Ash, and the temperature around them rose slightly. "You want a fight, huh," the trainer said. He felt his respect for the bug grow. It was surprisingly honorable.

Unfortunately for Kakuna, his team had long since surpassed the average wild Beedrill. If he tried to prompt Grace or King to fight Kakuna they might consider its challenge an insult. Which would more than likely cost the bug its life. This would not be ending positively for Kakuna. _It'll still be hilarious for us._

Hellfire cocked his head to the side in confusion. He whuffed to Gore, who huffed back. The Houndoom appeared to accept the answer. Then he pointed at the end of the alley with a paw. Ash cringed, finding the smell to have returned with his memory of it. "We'll fight in my yard," the trainer told Kakuna. Gore looked at them like they were ridiculous before trotting away.

The bug buzzed and moved to roll after Gore, only to be lifted atop Hellfire's horns. Kakuna hissed irritably at the dog Pokemon. Hellfire ignored it in favor of jogging to the end of the alley. Ash followed as swiftly as he could without disturbing Willow. The walk home was the oddest he'd ever had.

The amount of people who stared when they saw a Kakuna balanced on a Houndoom's horns was significantly higher than he anticipated. Hellfire looked a bit put out when they received half-hearted greetings. Kakuna rolled off Hellfire's horns when their gate opened. The bug turned to face him with a challenging hiss. "All right, let's do it then."

Xxxxxxx

Out of context is sounds like Ash is coming onto Kakuna at the end doesn't it?

Author's Note

Remember that a character's perspective isn't omniscient.

I've often wondered how Rock and Ground Pokemon could survive when water hurts them. Just water. Onix lost to sprinklers. The same Onix took on a Tyranitar in the fourth movie. Brock doesn't actually seem to train anything much either.

Oh, and Elephants have been known to stomp lion cubs to death. Given their excellent memories, revenge is a likely motive. They can be cute and gentle, but they're not sugar and sweets all the time.

Somebody asked me what the time is between the Tournaments. Every three years like the Dragon Ball Tournament. If it happened yearly Ash would go to the conference with baby Pokemon. Like canon really.

Jim Dempsey is the name of the old Ace Ash met in Viridian Gym. No idea why I called him Patrick.

If you haven't figured it out by now, Ash's mom is meant to represent an average trainer who got lucky enough to have someone basically train her Pokemon for her. Because Arcia was a bro.

Thank you all for reading, favoriting, reviewing and following.


	31. Chapter 31

A list of the trainers we've met and their teams will be on the bottom of the next chapter. Or on the spin off. Or on my profile. It'll be up. Eventually.

I don't own Pokemon.

Episode 31

Vs. Kakuna

Xxxxxxxxx

"Please don't mess up the yard," Ash requested. Hellfire whuffed cheerfully. Kakuna hissed, its eyes flashing dangerously. _Really proud little guy, aren't you?_ It was probably because of its recent evolution. It felt strong, like all newly evolved Pokemon did. They would believe themselves to be invincible until they had their arrogance beaten out of them by a redheaded tomboy and her Slowbro. Ash was all too happy to play the part. He took a couple steps away from his Houndoom. "I doubt you'll have a hard time anyway," Ash declared, lowering his voice slightly and shrugging, "After all, it's just a little bug." Hellfire gave him a look of confusion while Kakuna shrieked and spat a poisonous needle at the dog Pokemon.

The Houndoom sidestepped the Poison Sting with a startled bark. Then he lowered his head and charged. The bug shot a string of silk that hit one of the dog's horns. Kakuna's eyes narrowed, and its mandibles took on a yellow hue before it yanked itself at Hellfire. The Houndoom yelped and ducked beneath the attack. Ash paled when he realized the glowing Kakuna was going to hit their fence.

The poisonous bug crashed into the fence with a crack. Ash sighed. _Oh, thank god, it didn't chip._ The trainer's eyes widened when Kakuna rolled to face Hellfire. _Not even dazed._ He frowned. _Okay, so this won't be as easy as we thought._ Hellfire gave the yard a cursory glance. The only cover he would find was their tree, and its branches stuck up toward the sky. "Ram!" Ash ordered. Kakuna tensed when Hellfire charged with his head glowing. It spat a Poison Sting which was deflected by a horn. Kakuna buzzed in alarm before spitting a String Shot at one of the tree's branches. It yanked itself into the air, only for Hellfire to leap and Headbutt the shrieking bug into the tree's trunk.

Ash's Pokeball fell upon the dazed bug, then consumed it in a red flash. The trainer grinned triumphantly as the red capsule clicked to signify Kakuna's capture. The Pokeball flew back to his belt before attaching itself to the only open slot with a click. "Nice one," Ash congratulated, patting Hellfire's head lightly. "I've gotta admit, Kakuna was a bit more troublesome than I expected it would be." Hellfire barked in agreement. Beating a strong willed Kakuna without his fire wasn't an issue for Hellfire. Beating it in his trainer's yard without harming the yard itself was a touch difficult for the wild dog.

Dark-types with a dual typing were unique in that their specialization would always be in the other element. A Tyranitar was always more adept with its earth manipulation, a Sneasel would always be better at using ice manipulation, and a Houndoom would always be better with fire. Their dark moves had the raw power to match any pure dark-type, but some moves would be impossible for even the strongest of the dual dark-types.

He was surprised by how well behaved they'd been. Usually Willow cheered and Gore squealed when their teammates fought. "Looks like we've completed the team. Gore! Willow! Say hello!" He turned to face his other team members. Ash and Hellfire blinked. They were on the porch when the battle started. A sound like ice cracking behind the house caught the trainer's attention. He strode around his childhood home. Ash stopped at the side's end. The trainer prepared himself with a slow, deep breath.

Hellfire trotted up to him and whuffed, making him jump. Ash glared at the dog. Hellfire stared back with his small tail wagging. He sighed and peeked around the corner, half expecting his partner to be locked in combat with a silent dragon or ramming a reflection he found in ice. His eyes widened. Slabs of ice thicker than the teenager himself were stacked up to Daisy's open window. "You know, at this point I'm only a bit surprised he did this," the trainer said his tone even. Hellfire didn't seem to know what to make of the ice construct. The dog sniffed the bottom slab before pawing at it a couple times. Ash stepped on the first ice step before gesturing for Hellfire to follow him.

The trainer nearly slipped a couple times on the second slab, but his Houndoom steadied him with his horns. He'd never been more grateful Hellfire's horns curved backward. Ash gave the dog an appreciative nod before moving to climb again, this time on all fours. _I need to get boots._ His mother had pestered him about buying them before he left Pallet for months. Delia wouldn't let the matter drop no matter how many times he'd said his running shoes would be fine. As he pushed himself into his sister's window, he admitted she was right.

But his mother would never know this.

Ash squawked when horns like a ram's shoved him into Daisy's room. "Dick," he gasped, turning to glare at Hellfire as best he could. The Houndoom panted happily. Ash pushed himself up with a groan... And came face to face with a brown three headed ostrich. The redness surrounding her irises was alarming. The bird Pokemon handled being disturbed when resting as well as Willow, but was far less gentle than his Ivysaur. "H-hi, Dria. Having a nice day?" The Dodrio's fierce dark eyes narrowed. Ash began to sweat slightly when the bird's heads leaned in. Those beaks were among the most dangerous in the world. They'd even been known to puncture a rock-type's armor.

Just as he pictured himself skewered by nine-inch beaks Hellfire tumbled into Daisy's room. Dria turned to the dog Pokemon slowly. Whatever Hellfire saw in her gaze made him backpedal into Daisy's desk. "Dria wait! He's mine!" Ash cried scrambling in front of the dog Pokemon.

The wind that had begun to swirl around the Dodrio's beak faded. The giant bird stared at the Houndoom for a long moment before settling down on his sister's bed. She turned her back to them, displaying her foot long white tipped pink feathers. Ash sighed, relief filling him. The Dodrio was even larger than she'd been when Daisy won the Indigo tournament. Dria had to have been pushing three hundred pounds at this point. _Good thing that bed's so strong._

Ash's brows rose. _She still has that Champion Yellow comforter? And the Aoife and Lyra pillow set?_ Ash wondered if the fascination had something to do with Yellow having what was regarded as a rather masculine partner in Gorro the Golem, which wasn't unlike Daisy herself with Pins. Nah, that's when the phase happened. Daisy had bought the blanket a couple years back when she was going through some weird girl power thing. She was going on about slighter and more feminine girls being just as capable at training Pokemon. _Women are weird._ Wasn't that dragon woman from Kalos living proof the argument against feminine trainers was ridiculous? Drasna had a battle dress custom made instead of just wearing pants. _Everything's complicated with them. I swear they're a different species._

He reached over to pat Hellfire's side lightly. _I think I'd rather spend time with you, buddy._ Ash blinked. There was something sad about that. The large dog nudged him toward the door with his nose. Hellfire glanced at Dria's back with worry. The dog hadn't a clue how right he was to fear her.

Ash pushed himself up with a grunt. He and Hellfire inched in the door's direction. Ash blinked when his shoulder bumped a frame. The frame slipped and the trainer scrambled to catch it. To his relief Dria only twitched.

Ash turned to hang it back up. It was an article ripped out of a newspaper. Atop the article was a picture of Mr. Fuji and Talc with a heading that read: "Little Heroes and Legendary Ace Send Team Rocket blasting Off Again!" _Wow, they are really dramatic._ Ash scowled. What the hell did they mean by little? He and Gary had been just under five feet at the time. Theirs teams were hardly small either. Janine was the only little one there. Well, her and Willow, who was still losing baby fat at the time.

There was a section of the article that Daisy had drawn a circle around. The article was about the supposed little heroes. Gary, Janine, and Ash's names weren't mentioned, but the species of their partners and their battles were. His brow rose. In the corner of the frame was a photo of Ash, his siblings, and their partners. A rush of Affection for his sister welled up in his chest.

Gore was seated on Ash's head. He looked rather like a ball of shaggy fur without incredibly stubby legs. His partner's brown eyes had yet to open, but what really caught his eye was the bone between his jaws. _Some things just don't change._ The trainer grinned when he saw Aria hanging off Gary's back in a manner better suited to a Mankey. His brother's strained smile and half shut left eye only made his grin widen. The expression faded somewhat after a moment. There was something in their younger selves' expressions he couldn't quite place. Ash moved on.

Daisy was between them as she always seemed to be. His sister beamed at the camera from her place atop Pins, her smile was littered with the gaps created by the last of her baby teeth falling. There was a gleam in her stormy gray eyes that he didn't remember. The gleam shone brightly in Ash's own eyes and his grin as well. He frowned when he realized he still couldn't place what it was. It reminded him of the way Willow's expression lit up when she mastered Energy Ball over a year ago.

It seemed obvious when he saw what it was. It was innocence. Daisy looked like a child. As odd as it was to think now, his sister and her partner weren't always a part of the League's elite. Before they'd fought thugs and bloodthirsty beasts Daisy was as naive as Ash now realized he, Gary, and the other trainers of their year were when they'd left Pallet. He clenched his fists so tightly his nails drew blood.

The Rockets crushed that innocence. They'd nearly killed his family, Pokemon and human alike. He would crush them all. Archer, Proton, Ariana, all of them. He'd- no. The trainer shut his eyes. Ash wondered if it was fair to blame the criminals entirely. The world was a beautiful and terrible place. They would have come upon the unforgiving truth of it without the Rocket thugs' help. He just wished it didn't have to happen the way it did.

"Innocence is a disease that should be purged as swiftly as possible." Brandon's quote had always struck him as a bit cold. Now Ash realized he couldn't have reached the top the way he was back then. Brandon had been trying to guide the next generation in his own way. _I guess it isn't fair to hate them for this._ Ash was still definitely going to obliterate the Rockets though. Just not for revenge.

His sister's bed creaked and he turned to meet Dria's gaze. The look in the fierce bird's eye was almost gentle. He smiled at her when the ostrich cooed quietly. "I'm fine," Ash said, reaching down to pat Hellfire's side. He turned to stride from the room. The bed creaked again and he turned back. "I promise I'm fine!" he promised with a bright smile. Hellfire licked his hand, his maw stretching into an expression that resembled a smile. Dria eyed him with more hesitance before settling back down.

The trainer shut the door behind them gently. He saw a large wet patch on the carpet beneath them as he walked down the stairs. _So he went this way._ Ash took his final step, then looked up at the staircase. None of the stairs had any issues on the way down. He couldn't have gone down the stairs could he? He glanced at the wet patch on the carpet floor of their living room. _So Gore used a pile of snow to cushion his fall?_ Ash frowned. _Could he do that?_

It was a rather clever move. Willow could easily come up with it, but she would have shrieked loud enough to wake the dead if she was in a room with Dria _._ It was too clever for him to believe the idea had come from a creature known to chew on his own hooves. _He must be hungry._ It never failed to unsettle him how resourceful Gore could be when his belly demanded it.

Sometimes he wondered if the boar was playing him for a fool. _Something to think about later._

He headed to the kitchen with that in mind. Ash stopped to run his hands along the worn black couch of their living room. The rocker in the right corner caught his eye. It had belonged to his great-grandmother, Maria Oak. The worn seams of the red rocker were the only clue to its age. Even the television set across the room sent a wave of nostalgia through him.

Then he heard clanking in the kitchen. Hellfire's ears snapped up as he sniffed the air insistently. _Oh my various gods, he's cooking!_ Ash bolted with the Houndoom at his heels. _What does he think he's doing? The idiot doesn't even have thumbs!_

He slid onto the ceramic tiles of the kitchen. Gore froze. There was an orange on both of the boar's tusks. Within his maw was a large potato, and atop his head sat an Ivysaur. Willow bared her overbite in a smile. The dinosaur had an orange trapped beneath her paws, orange juice dripped from her maw, and her vines held an Oran berry. She trilled a greeting, making her pink eyes light up.

Ash grimaced. _There goes my resolve._ "You have to help clean this up," he muttered. Gore gave him a look of smug triumph. _Always gotta rub it in don't you?_

Xxxxxxx

"Oh man, that old snake must have thrown a Stone Edge the size of Pallet at him!" Ash laughed. Even for something with a type advantage against him hurting Hellfang badly enough for the wound too last two months was incredible. His laughter died when he saw Janine glaring at him. He'd forgotten she was there. His smile became strained Hopper glared too, and he began to sweat slightly. He glanced at Gore. The Piloswine gave Ash and the females an assessing look before returning to trying to bite his ear. _You traitorous pork loin..._

"Ash! Janine! Focus!" Gary snapped, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Look, I get it. There's no reason to worry," Ash responded with a dismissive wave of his hand. Gary drew breath to speak, but Ash cut him off. "Raikou, Suicune, and Entei aren't like Moltres, Articuno, Zapdos or Hellfang. Basically, the weirdos of the group are causing trouble. Oh, and a couple Champions were assholes. Not a huge deal," Ash said with a shrug. What it boiled down to was they grew to their immense power in another way that people had yet to discover. Which probably had something to do with their bad attitudes, and Raikou was at war with Hellfang. It wasn't a big deal. All that mattered was that they could reach that plateau. If it could be done, they'd do it. That was all there was to it.

There were more important things for Ash to worry about. _I wonder if the Onix King and the Moon Goddess have a name?_ Ash knew the Titan and the Black Fog didn't have names. They probably wouldn't handle being called something else by people they didn't know very well. A name was a very personal thing to a Pokemon, it was a connection to their trainer and their team. The Queen of Dragons was called the wrong name by one of her partner's descendants once, which led to a confrontation. Unfortunately, for the man's team she was at worse the second strongest Dragonite born in the past few millennia. Needless to say it did not end pleasantly for the idiotic Blackthorn.

There was an easy way to find out the rest of their names. His grandfather had known the other transcendents' names after all. It was a solid bet he knew theirs. When Gary asked the old man about the Onix King and the Moon Goddesses' names he had evaded the question with all the skill one would expect from a man who'd been dealing with politicians for more than four decades. Which Ash found to be rather ironic considering Oak quit being Champion because dealing with politicians was incredibly frustrating. It helped that Agatha was his equal as a commander and a superior administrator.

He also needed to figure out how to keep Willow from climbing down the chimney again.

"...He's handling this wa~y better than we did," Janine murmured to Gary, snapping Ash to focus.

"Of course I'm handling it better than you two!" the trainer snorted. He was offended they thought he wouldn't handle it better. Ash and pointed at his brother. "This idiot cried when he found out a show was cancelled."

"I was eight!" Gary snapped his cheeks reddening. Aria hooted in an amused fashion.

Ash turned to Janine. "And you worship that poison proof scarf because Karen gave it to you when you were four."

"I do not worship it," the shinobi protested, pouting. Saur gave his partner a deadpan look. She certainly bordered on worship. Ash knew the first thing she did after getting her Pokemon taken care of was tend to her scarf. She went to breakfast in the scarf. He was fairly certain she slept with it. She even tried to buy Saur a scarf in Lavender. All members of her family treasured their scarf, but Janine took caring for it to an extreme.

"At least we've never forced a piglet to carry a couch up a flight of stairs!" Gary smiled smugly as Ash stiffened. "Remember what you told him? You can eat when you're done, Pepperoni." Even the Butcher wouldn't have been so cruel, Ashy-boy."

"For the last time it was a wicker couch! And I wasn't even ten yet!" Ash snarled. Admittedly, making a piglet do that was an overreaction to Gore eating one of his hats, but the piglet lived. It seemed no one ever mentioned him helping the Swinub push the couch when Gore got it halfway up. They only ever mentioned Gore carrying the couch. Well, that and it almost crushing them when Ash tripped on some snow Gore sneezed. They lived though, which meant it was more or less a success in Ash's mind. He smiled darkly. "Remember the soccer tournament? Remember what you did when we met that actress from Kalos?" Gary stiffened, his eyes widening in horror. Janine leaned in.

"Say anymore and I'll have two sisters," Gary promised in a tone so dark Ash almost considered stopping for a moment.

"Idiot ran right up to her and got down on a-" Ash ducked beneath a wild swing of his brother's fist. He laughed as he swerved away from another blow. The third blow caught him in the chest, making him wince. Eyes flashing, Ash grabbed Gary's arm and cocked his own fist back.

"Boys!" Janine snapped, making them freeze. "You just saw each other again and you already want to fight?" Gary lowered his fist slowly. Ash kept his up.

"You sound like our mother," he complained. Gore whined in agreement. The boar had been looking forward to what he thought to be a human duel. Ash wasn't sure how he felt about Gore wanting to be his trainer.

"Cause ya need it," Janine retorted putting her hands on her hips. The trainer huffed, he still didn't bother trying to defend himself. The President of the Pokemon League couldn't talk Ash out this one. He glared at Aria when she chortled.

"Whatever, I have a tree to find, and a nap to take," Ash told them. He would rather be in his room, but he'd locked himself out of it. He twitched when Willow climbed onto his head. He really needed to break her out of that habit before she evolved again. The image of a little Venusaur climbing up his back made him grimace.

"Why don't you just go to your room?" Gary asked, raising a brow.

The trainer's eyes widened in alarm. He scrambled for a satisfying answer. "I can't." _Oh, goddammit._

"Why?" If there was a quality about his brother he hated most it was Gary's need to know everything.

"Gore, uh, doesn't fit in the doorway," Ash replied. The Piloswine tilted his massive head to the side with a blink. Then he huffed. Hellfire gave his trainer a baffled look until Ash threw half a treat to him.

His brother drew breath to ask him another question when Ash noticed the number of people heading toward their right. "Hey, where do you think they're going?" he said pointing over Janine's head.

"Probably headed to the bay," Janine put in before Gary could question Ash again. His brother sighed. He appeared to have finally accepted he wouldn't be interrogating Ash further.

 _Victory._ He repressed his grin with great effort. "How strange," the trainer murmured.

"Eh, not really, weird stuff was goin' on there earlier," the shinobi said with a shrug. Ash and Gore blinked. Willow's ears perked up as she turned from staring at their tree to give Janine her full attention.

"They probably want to see if that crazy Vulpix is still there," Gary clarified. Ash and Willow choked while Hellfire froze. Gore only snorted as though he'd expected such news.

"You guys heard about a crazy Vulpix at the bay?" Ash asked with an awkward laugh. He could feel his wallet becoming lighter.

"Crazy is an understatement, she jumped Druz," Gary told him his gray eyes twinkling. Ash glared death at his brother. He received a raised brow in return.

"I thought she was cool!" Janine chirped, "I mean, how many fire-types would fight a Quagsire to get at an Onix!" _I'm going to prison, Gore's going on a pizza, and Willow will be the side salad. Trainers can't be tried as adults until they're fifteen right?_ Ash's eye twitched. That Soothe Bell was worthless! Grace just pretended to be nicer until she could dispose of it. _I can't even get my money back!_

"You would think that's cool," Gary said huffing fondly. "Grandpa sure didn't. The old man hates having his research interrupted almost as much as he hates spending money." Gore's eyes bulged. _Well, shit,_ Hellfire nudged his hand when he saw Ash paling.

"We need to get to the jailhouse before they find us," Ash whispered. Even Oak and Fearia couldn't get to them if law enforcement already had them. Gore snorted urgently before moving to herd Hellfire out of the yard.

"Ash! Gary!" his neighbor's daughter, Jessica, called as she stopped in front of their fence. The girl panted as though she'd been running for a while. Ash was a bit ashamed that his first thoughts were of how she'd grown in the past year and a half. Only a bit though. "You guys have got to see this! There's a Kingler and Vulpix picking a fight with the Fearow and Spearow!"

 _I hate my life._

Xxxxxxxxx

Fanboyism saved Mewtwo's life. In the initial draft Hellfang killed him.

The oneshots I have planed will be showing what other characters are up to. So far I've got ideas for Pikachu, Squirtle, and Charizard.

I might put Ash's commands on my profile or put it at the bottom of the of one of the next couple chapters. Which should be about three more chapters.

It's been awhile since I've done any recommendations, so here are a couple manga: Vinland Saga and Kingdom. Kingdom centers around the first conquest of China in the era of Qin Shi Huang. Vinland Saga is a bit more complicated to describe. So I'll just say it's about Vikings.


	32. Chapter 32

I don't own Pokemon. Or any TFS references.

The A.N. at the bottom explains the spin off stuff. Oh, and my next story.

Also, a digital cookie to everyone who can guess who the Rhydon Oak talked about is.

Episode 32

The Heir and the Grave

Xxxxxx

Gore experiences his first hurricane

Oran berries, Sitrus berries, Jazz berries, more berries than he could ever eat in a day! It was nature's greatest creation! The Swinub dove into the ten-foot tall mound of berries with a delighted squeal, then his world exploded in pain and his eyes snapped open.

His brown eyes blinked open. Though Gore's vision was still bleary, he could make out his partner's pillows. He really needed to commandeer one of those pillows… A crack so loud his ears rung made Gore jump with a squeal. The piglet scrambled frantically to find the sound's origin.

 _Aha!_ It was out of the house. _I knew nothing could sneak up on these ears!_ Gore twitched his long, floppy ears for emphasis. They were nearly the size of his head. If something could sneak up on him, then he'd been screwed over like no Pokemon before.

The Swinub propped himself up on the window ledge. What he saw made his eyes bulge. Wind so fierce the fences were nearly being pulled from the ground! "Oh..." Lightning striking so close to their home he could see the electricity fall from the sky! "Oh god…" Thunder boomed again, making his ears ring like a cricket's chirping. "Oh sweet mother of ice and snow…"

This could only be…

"GLOBAL WARMING!?"

"ASSSSSHHHH!"

Xxxxxxxx

The red-haired boy stopped short of the office his father had once called his own. The office that should have still belonged to his father while his grandfather took his rightful place in the Champion's office. It would have undoubtedly been so if the world were just. Instead the Rockets found themselves split into two weaker factions, and the corrupt Indigo League had refilled their ranks. Most humiliating of all was that their defeat was brought about by a family Agatha had created by plucking a young orphan off the street. _And to think the only remaining member of that family is the one who holds the true power within the league..._

His jaw clenched. Bruno of Pewter and his pig monkey ruined a plan thirty years in the making. While it was true that they'd lost the lesser members of the Genesect horde to Hellfang, they'd still managed to kill every member of Karen's team and the young champion herself. The blow to the league's morale should have been enough to allow the Rockets to stage a direct assault on the capital. Everything seemed to have fallen into place when the news came of his father's death came.

Jira tapped his shoulder lightly and crooned. Silver stiffened, then thanked his partner with a tight smile. This wasn't the time to be distracted. The most brutal of Giovanni's thugs sat on the other side of the door. He opened the door. The room was simple, a deep red couch against the wall and a painting of his father behind the oak desk were the only things in it. It was the malice that he could practically taste that set the hairs on the back of his neck standing.

Silver immediately fell to a knee, his head bowed low. He'd been with the Kanto Rockets for a little more than a month. The first thing he noticed was that Proton wasn't nearly as clever as his brother was. Appearing submissive or weak would be enough to disarm him. The idea that he, the great-grandson of the founder of Team Rocket, was forced to kneel before Archer's inferior brother galled him. His partner felt the same. Jira's pincers opened slightly when the Executive turned to level a disdainful glare on Silver.

Proton's partner glared at the younger Pokemon in return. Touxa was a Drapion. The scorpion Pokemon stood at over five and a half feet tall and had segmented armor that interchanged between a light and a deep purple. Her two pincers were white and could extend at a speed his young Armaldo probably would struggle to react to. Her tail was another longer version of its arms with all their benefits. With Tundra gone, she was the strongest Pokemon the Kanto Rockets had in their arsenal. Even a particularly talented and stubborn Armaldo knew the futility of challenging Touxa's might.

"I have a mission for you, boy," the green-haired man announced. The rage that simmered beneath his icy exterior could burst at any moment. Proton had never possessed the patience his brother had. He could very well might call for a man's death for looking at him the wrong way when he was in such a foul mood. But the Rocket Executive also hated cowards.

"My team and I can complete any mission," Silver declared, raising his eyes from the ground. He made a point to avoid looking the man in the eyes.

"Can you?" Proton snorted in an amused fashion. His green eyes assessed the youth as one might an insect. Weak men had been known to break under Proton's blood chilling gaze. Silver forced himself not to twitch. The heir to the Rocket organization was no weakling. Proton smirked darkly. Silver couldn't read whether the man found what he wanted in him. Then a yellow envelope was tossed at him. Jira snatched it out of the air casually with speed even the best trained men couldn't match. The giant lobster sniffed the package for a moment before running his claws along the envelope. After judging the envelope to be benign the Armaldo handed it to Silver.

The Rocket heir nearly rolled his eyes at the over protective lobster as he took it. They'd been partners since Silver was eight and he still hadn't broken Jira of his overprotectiveness. "You'll be taking the idiots with you," Proton announced, cold eyes boring into Silver's own. The duo winced in unison. "Surely the Boss's son can manage fine with them?" the interim boss inquired, his lips quirking up. Touxa bared her three-inch white fangs in a grin.

"I can," Silver affirmed with a nod. It could be done. It wouldn't be a mission worthy of a song or a play for their new league though. _Unless the play is a tragedy._ The redhead paused, "Thank you for this opportunity." He left what was temporarily Proton's office with a respectful nod.

He ran his hands along the envelope. Proton must have been planning something big after his brother's arrest. The man was too hot headed not to retaliate, yet he'd waited this long? Why wait? There were plenty of League personnel to vent his frustrations on. _Unless he wants to go after the one responsible._ Assaulting Fuschia to get revenge against Koga wouldn't be out of character for the cruelest man in Team Rocket. With the Great Kangaskhan away, they could send a small elite team to raid the Safari Zone while their main forces baited Aya into leaving the Gym.

Silver hoped that wasn't the plan. He couldn't see that ending well in any scenario. While the propaganda that every member of the Eight was a master wasn't anywhere near close to true, they had consistently produced teams with at least one king on it for centuries. The weaker Gyms of the Eight possessed other qualities or allies that made fighting them without proper planning was ridiculously stupid too.

Silver sighed, running a hand through his almost shoulder length hair. Speculation wouldn't help them. He opened the door to his room. Silver was looking forward to a few moments of quiet peace, only to find himself assaulted by a wave of foam. The Rocket only flinched slightly at the bubbles cloaking his head. "Hello, to you too, Whirl," Silver greeted while Jira cleared away the bubbles.

The Poliwhirl gave him a distinctly unimpressed look that conveyed her immense displeasure more efficiently than any dressing down could. "It really is a shame my mother didn't live to meet you Whirl. I really believe you'd have gotten along swimmingly." Silver smirked while Whirl groaned her annoyance and Jira paused. The smirk died as Jira spat water over his head. "It wasn't that bad!" he protested. "Night tell them!"

The Sneasel gave him an apologetic look before returning to preening her white claws. Silver sighed. "Not a loyal bunch are they?" a woman inquired from behind him with a giggle.

"Not really, no," Silver admitted before stiffening. By the time he flipped around Jira's swiping claw had taken on a yellow glow. A purple finger stopped it upon impact. The Black Fog grinned widely when Jira's eyes went wide. The foreboding feeling that cloaked all ghosts emanated from the Gengar to a degree Silver found it hard to breathe.

"Lacking in loyalty and proprietary aren't you?" She tutted as though they were errant children. "Were you lot mine, I'd have to punish you!" The way her crimson eyes lit up sent a chill down Silver's spine. Jira retracted his claw with a barely visible tremor wracking him. Night trembled in a manner he'd never seen the Sneasel do before. _She's bothered more by it?_

The Fog frowned when she glanced at the Sneasel. The chill in the air receded and her eyes shifted to a lighter red. Silver watched her like a coiled snake as the ghost settled into a chair, then she grabbed his remote and turned the television on. _Um… what?_ This was not how he pictured his first meeting with the legendary Gengar going. Silver had pictured hunting her down for betraying them and battling a horde of hundreds of ghosts in a blaze of glory reminiscent of the battle Lyra's team fought with the Pokemon beneath the Titan. Her popping a bag of chips open more or less crushed that fantasy.

Jira crooned sadly. Silver had shared the idea with the lobster Pokemon and Jira had begun to look forward to it. Well, Mahogany Town was more or less destroyed in the battle so perhaps this was for the best. After several moments of tense silence that were only broken by the Fog's snickers, Silver had enough. "What are you doing here?" he demanded. _Damn, my arms are still trembling._

"Watching this," the fog quipped. She pouted when he scowled at her. "I'm here because of that," she told him, pointing at the envelope. "Your new leader wishes to attack a… city? I think is what it's classified as?" She tilted her to the side in thought.

"Why does my mission matter to you?" Silver's blood was surging. What did it mean when a ghost that fought to a draw with Hellfang was anxious? What sort of town was it? Horror struck him. _Please don't be Blackthorn! Please, please, don't tell me we're fighting that old dragon!_

"I, and my darling horde, shall be imitating a certain giant jellyfish to bait a certain sea dweller from the city." _And we're dead._ "Yes, you seem to have realized the depths of your master's stupidity," the Gengar cackled. "But I'm not here just to tell you about this nonsense," the Fog continued, rolling her eyes. "I need you to do something for me, Silver."

 _How did she learn my name? And why come to me alone?_ Luke was stronger and more experienced than he was. The image of him offering a baby to the Black Fog as she cackled flashed through his mind. "What is it?" Silver inquired, swallowing slightly.

"There is a boy in this city we're to assault, one that holds an item I would very much like to inspect," she explained, before tossing a few chips into her black hole of a maw.

"... What is it?"

"Hm? Oh, they'll know what it is, believe me," the Fog told him. Were it not for her grin falling into a more neutral frown Silver would have thought she was still teasing him. "If you retrieve this for me, I'll consider allying with your grandfather," she murmured. Her eyes lit up when Silver stiffened.

 _Does she know about our plans too?_ "You pledged your allegiance to the Kanto Rockets," he croaked. Jira and Night snapped gave him wide-eyed looks as though questioning his sanity. Whirl's choked gurgle told him she wasn't even questioning it anymore.

"No, I said I would assist them if they proved they could help me achieve my ends," the Black Fog corrected. She smiled conspiratorially in a manner that reminded him of the dancing shadows he'd feared as a child. "I think we both know someone who is far more capable in this regard, don't you agree?

Xxxxxxxx

Ash glanced back at his exhausted Pokemon. King was sprawled across Gore's back. His dominant arm flopped with every step of the Piloswine's stubby legs. His red shell was littered with cracks smashed in by dull Air Cutters and a couple holes created by a Fearow's beak. Ash almost sighed when he saw Grace was still curled atop Gore's head next to Willow and his sleeping Kakuna. The Vulpix's left eye was swollen shut from the force of a Spearow's wing. There were only three sealed cuts on her, but they were all along her right side. Ash rubbed his temple in a circular motion.

Finding two of his team members lying beneath Fearia had made him numb. The only part of his grandfather's sharp lecture he remembered well was being told his Pokemon would be Ash's to deal with this time. The rest of that incident was blurry other than Wave's hissing at Gore. Ash shuddered at the memory, he couldn't allow such an incident again.

The trainer allowed the tense silence to continue for a few more minutes. "You are never going to be around other Pokemon alone again," Ash said, keeping his eyes forward. Willow squeaked and Hellfire barked, making passerby on the other side of the street flinch. "Right, right, you guys can only be without me if either of them are with you." Gore squealed. "And Gore." He thought on it. "Okay, not Gore if he's alone," Ash corrected, receiving calls of agreement from Willow and Hellfire. Ash's lips quirked up when he felt his partner glaring daggers at his back.

Grace could only whimper in response. King managed to level a glare at him. The trainer ignored them. Ash knew he wouldn't be able to make them socially acceptable creatures overnight. No one really knew how Grace's species managed to work together without the many narcissists in the pack murdering one another, and King was a crab. He was working with two extremely quick-tempered creatures too. Ash sighed. If he could do it over, he would have caught more herd friendly creatures.

Gore sneezed, snorting out a burst of frost. _Okay, less temperamental social Pokemon._ Ash sighed for what felt like the hundredth time of the day. _No, I probably wouldn't change them, even if I could._ Because he loved them just the way they were. Even if Ash didn't always want to love them, he always would. _I've been the one getting trained all along haven't I?_ That revelation made his shoulders sink. He still had to have a talk with Kakuna about his place in the team. Maybe he could handle them all in one sitting? _Eh, probably not._

Ash froze as he heard King slide off his partner's back with a pained cry. "Gore? King?" He snapped toward them. The pig stared ahead of them with his eyes glazed over. Willow waved her vines in front of the Piloswine's eyes making Gore blink. Ash started when he nearly stepped on a small stone plate. The trainer cursed when he saw the name and dates inscribed on the stone. Letting his guard down to such a degree was unacceptable for a trainer. Especially for a trainer who traveled without another person. _Yet another lecture coming my way if the old man finds out._ Ash froze.

"Arcia?" he breathed. The wild grin and twinkle in those amber eyes made his heart soar then he saw the picture frame sitting atop a tombstone and he felt something crack. "I'm such an idiot," Ash muttered tugging his hat down. _Why did I even think that?_

A deep green vine poked his forehead. Ash blinked. He turned to peer down at his Ivysaur. Willow crooned and shuffled before poking his forehead again. The trainer smiled and shook the vine lightly. She snorted before turning to Gore and poking him between his muddy brown eyes. The Piloswine tapped the appendage with a tusk. The swine's gaze never left the framed picture. After a moment, Gore trotted through the cemetery until he came upon Arcia's grave. Willow turned to Ash with a look of confusion.

"Gore is…" He paused, biting his lip. She'd seen death when they'd fought the Rocket, but there was a huge difference between seeing a Meowth that had tried to kill her trainer die and this situation. At times he managed to forget her age. How could you explain losing a loved one to a child? It was a disturbing thought. Ash shifted. He wasn't sure if he wanted to have this talk.

Grace slid down Gore's tusk. The vixen hobbled to Willow's side before pointing at Arcia's picture. Grace glanced at him. He nodded. _Thank you._ "That Typhlosion was very important to us." Ash sank to a knee. He smirked when Willow's ears shot up in alarm. "Yes, we were… friends with a Typhlosion." The scandalized look she gave him said more than words ever could. The trainer felt something in his chest loosen. "She passed away a long time ago, but seeing her picture still hurts, especially for Gore," Ash continued. Willow's forehead creased as she thought. The trainer was content to let her think on it until Grace motioned for him to explain further.

"Well, it'd be like when I die, you aren't going to forget me either, right?" The Ivysaur's eyes widened until they resembled pink saucers. "Not that I'm dying!" Ash blurted with a grimace. _Oh god, I'm terrible at this._ "What I mean is, if I were to die you'd miss me right?" _Is it too soon for her to have this talk?_ In the wild no talk would be given. She would learn about death the hard way when her herd a Nidorino or a swarm of Beedrill. Grace tapped his leg with one of her fluffy tails.

The dinosaur stared at Gore's unmoving back while Ash struggled to find the right words. "It's kind of like when you were separated from your mother," he said. Willow flinched. "The difference is, there's no chance he'll never get to see her again." _Neither of us will._ "Do you understand now?" Willow stared at the ground, then butted his knee lightly. "I'm glad!" he smiled wanly.

Ash pushed himself to his feet. "Let's go pay our respects. Be quiet, though, okay?" Willow cooed quietly while King saluted with his smaller claw. The trainer raised the crab Pokemon's Pokeball, but King hissed quietly. He turned to find Kakuna staring up at him with curiosity. _How long has he been here?_ "Would you like to come to?" Ash extended a hand. Kakuna shot a small string of silk at his shoulder.

The trainer raised a hand when his other Pokemon tensed. Kakuna yanked himself up to Ash's shoulder. Ash smiled before gesturing for his team to follow him. The trainer weaved through the cemetery at a snail's pace.

They came to a stop by his partner's side. Ash reached out to pet Gore before stopping inches away. He waited for a sign of acknowledgement but received no more than a twitch of an ear. Ash exhaled heavily before sinking to his knees. The trainer stared at the Typhlosion's picture. He hadn't visited Arcia's grave in almost two years. Ash could hardly make out the gray plate through his tears at the time.

Ash bowed his head and gestured for his team to do the same. The trainer was never religious. He didn't care for what he couldn't see, Ash doubted he ever would be the type to care, so he didn't care to think about what happened after death. The trainer found himself praying an afterlife existed. He prayed Arcia hadn't simply faded away into dust, that there were strong Pokemon for her fight, and that she was happy wherever she was. Ash wasn't sure how long he sat there, he only knew that his back had been aching for quite a while when he lifted his head.

A small scented candle his mother or grandfather had doubtlessly placed on the grave caught his eyes. Ash's arm froze mid reach when a tiny wisp of purple fire lit the candle. He turned to his Vulpix with a look of surprise and found her golden eyes shining with sympathy. _No, not sympathy._ It was empathy that greeted the trainer. Ash placed a hand between her long ears. Hellfire looked uncharacteristically grave. The wild dog hadn't moved since he'd first laid before the grave. _That's right, even under Hellfang they must've lost pack members to disease._ King was gazing at him with a look of deep gratitude. _You too, huh?_ Unless they took on a territory Krabby were a solitary species, but young Krabby in especially hostile environments were known to band together to survive. _King probably spent his first couple years with his siblings._

Those Pokemon most likely weren't as dear to King, Grace, and Hellfire as Arcia had been to Ash and Gore. He knew losing them would have been a great blow all the same. The trainer wrapped an arm around the dog's thick neck before pulling him to his chest. He wanted to curse himself for not talking to them about them about Arcia sooner. _Why didn't I?_ Ash knew on some level they'd lost pack members. Yet he never broached the topic. He ran from it. Just like his father and paternal grandfather ran from his family. _I, no, we have a way to go as a team._ Ash gave the dog a last squeeze before pulling away.

Ash turned back Gore and the grave, only to find the Typhlosion's narrow eyes glared at him as if scolding him beyond the grave. Ash's breathing stopped until Hellfire butted his shoulder lightly with a whuff. The trainer blinked when he saw Arcia's expression hadn't actually shifted. He sighed, feeling partially relieved. The idea that she would come back to life just to scold he wasn't an entirely far-fetched one to Ash. _It was just my imagination._ He rubbed Hellfire lightly as he made to stand _. I think I know what you'd want. I'll not be a coward anymore. I promise._

"Ash?" his grandfather called, making the team jump and scramble to face Oak. The first thing he noticed was that the professor was holding a bouquet of blue flowers. The next things Ash noticed were the bags under Oak's eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"No clue," he answered with a hesitant shrug. Kakuna rolled down his arm with a startled shriek until he spat a string shot at Ash's shoulder again. Oak laughed while Ash winced at the fierce glare the bug gave him. King narrowed his eyes, his sword taking on a metallic sheen as the crab Pokemon took a step forward. Ash waved him off. King hissed quietly and gave Kakuna a warning look before turning to face Oak with his claw raised in warning. _I really did end up with an unfriendly bunch_. Ash couldn't find it in himself to regret his choice in team members.

"Ash?"

"I just ended up here," he shrugged again. Ash honestly wasn't sure how they ended up here. He had just walked.

"You just ended up here? In the cemetery? Really?" Oak raised a brow. "Kids these days make less sense than their parent's generation," the professor sighed. Then Oak blinked. "Ah, I see," he murmured as though he'd discovered something interesting. "And here I thought Gary was the more sensitive of the two of you," Oak chuckled.

Ash scowled. "What do you mean by that?"

"It'll be two years since her death in a month and three days," the professor said while sauntering toward them. Ash and Gore blinked and looked to one another.

"Did you remember that?" he whispered. The Piloswine huffed and tilted his head to the side in thought. That was a no then. King hissed at the old man when he started toward them. Ash snapped to him, drawing breath to warn the crab Pokemon, but he was a second too late. Fearia landed before his grandfather with an indignant squawk. The Fearow puffed her massive chest out and spread her great wings. _Oh shit._ King's eyes widened until they were as large as a Pokeball. Grace and Hellfire's ears fell while Willow whimpered before inching toward Ash and Gore. _What the hell do you expect us to do you crazy dinosaur?_

"Want to rethink that challenge?" Oak inquired his lips quirking upward and a brow raising. "You don't want to see her Drill Peck do you, boy?" King made an odd strangled sound, then glanced back at Ash. The crab Pokemon lifted his now silver sword slowly. Ash waved him down frantically and he lowered his sword. A hiss from Grace made him deactivate his Metal Claw.

Fearia lowered her wings slowly. Her narrow eyes watched his team with a predatory gleam similar to the one they'd seen in Dria's fierce gaze. Oak stroked her back lightly before edging around the massive avian. Gore blinked, then sniffed. Fear cocked her head to the side as she beheld the young boar. Then recognition flashed in her eyes and she cooed. Gore snorted back and trotted toward the giant without hesitation.

"Why don't you all go on and say hello," Oak told Ash's Pokemon with a smile. King looked ready to protest until he saw the look in the professor's eyes. It wasn't a suggestion. Ash snorted when they inched toward Gore and Fearia at a snail's pace. Willow was doing her best to place Kakuna between her and Fearia. "Have you been crying?"

"O-of course not!" Ash blushed. He hadn't even noticed his cheeks had become wet!

"Right," Oak said, rolling his eyes and fell to a knee before the grave. He placed the blue flowers on the side of the grave opposite of the candle. "I should hope you weren't crying in front of her grave." Ash's eye twitched. The professor sighed. "Mourning is fine, we all do it in our own way. It's just… most Pokemon don't appreciate mourning near a fallen warrior's grave," Oak said, turning slightly to regard him.

"Why?" Ash asked in a tone that was nearly defensive and almost certainly rude. "My team was fine with it." The professor's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Do they know she died in battle?" Oak inquired after lowering himself to his knees in front of the grave.

"Gore does!"

"He wasn't bothered at all? That's interesting. Most ground-types view mourning before the grave of one who has returned to the earth through combat a great disrespect. Mourning before the grave of one who dies for the good of their herd is especially disrespectful," the professor hummed in thought. Ash tried to interrupt him only his grandfather continued to quickly. "Some Piloswine do see a mourning a fallen herd mate a bit differently than most Pokemon. "It might be the elephant in them, I think." Oak grunted as he pushed himself to his feet. "Honestly, I never would have thought Gore was the sensitive type," Oak frowned slightly.

"A sensitive Pokemon? Gore? My Gore?" Ash blinked, forgetting the question he'd had a moment ago. That couldn't be right. The boar and Ash were of a kind. They preferred hitting things to talking about them.

"It is possible he romanticizes those who die defending their herd," Oak offered with a shrug.

"Romanticizes those who died defending the herd," Ash repeated swallowing a lump in his throat.

"Yes, a Pokemon who has died a true hero," Oak murmured, his gray eyes dimming to the point they were nearly black. Did Arcia die for Pallet's sake? That was what he wanted to ask. His grandfather had never discussed how Arcia died or why before. He'd assumed it was for the league. Ash wasn't sure if he wanted to discuss this.

To his surprise his grandfather was still lost in thought. _What's he remembering?_ Whatever it was, it couldn't have been pleasant. "So ground-types think their dead go back to the, uh, earth?" Ash asked while licking his lips.

"Yes," Oak said, eyeing him as though he was slow. "After one is cremated they go in the ground, son."

"That's not what I meant!" The professor snickered, making him flush again. "How do they see the return to the earth thing, fossil!"

"Not sure I want to tell someone who insults me," his grandfather replied, his eyes shining with amusement. Oak smiled when Ash growled. "Never forget this Ash. A Pokemon is an extension of nature given blood and flesh. Those like the Fog are Pokemon living as one with nature. And the very strongest of all Pokemon have tamed nature." The professor pointed to the earth beneath their feet. "The way a Pokemon perceives their element often reflects how they see all things. Ground-types don't think of such things as death or an afterlife often. Why would they? Most are simple creatures. As long as their dead are in the earth they're with the aspect of nature they belong to, so their families don't mourn long."

 _That actually kind of makes sense._ Gore had snapped out of his depression fairly swiftly when he saw Fearia. Ash wasn't sure it reflected well on him when a philosophy Gore may believe in was sensible to him. "So that's why didn't he say anything to me before?" Ash wondered.

"Well, that or maybe he just assumed you're a weird kid, Ash," Oak said with a sly smirk.

 _And ya lost me._ "That last theory doesn't mean coming much from the guy who says Granyte is almost as strong as Tiny!" Ash retorted with a snort. Daisy set him straight on that matter when he asked her the next day.

"W-well-"

"Don't even try to defend yourself old man!" Ash smirked. The professor just wasn't very trustworthy when it came to where his team stood among other masters.

"Can't a grandfather embellish a story a bit?" Oak deflated.

"Not if he wants to be credible." Ash had every intention of milking this for all it was worth. Oak had said it just a month before he left on his journey too, which meant it wasn't too old to use yet.

"I didn't exaggerate all of my stories," the professor said with a slight pout.

"Sure, sure," Ash replied. His mother didn't know about this yet, so if Ash did something unfortunate and it was his word against his grandfather's and Daisy could attest to the truth of the story for him… The trainer smiled. This was a good day.

He joined his grandfather in watching his team speak with Fearia. Gore was completely at ease in the great predator's presence. The Piloswine had known her since the day of his birth, and they'd just about always gotten along. The only hiccup in their relationship was when Ash shaved Gore. Fearia saw him, and must have thought he was a Pikachu that had been blasted by a fire-type or something because she tried to feed him to her grandchildren. Ash smirked. As horrifying as it had been at the time, it was a memory he reflected on at times when Gore stole his food.

"Ah, that reminds me! Ash since you're a returning trainer you'll be sitting with me this year," Oak said. The professor laughed at the look he received. "Now, now, you can't blame the town for being proud of you kids." Ash had always thought celebrating Trainers receiving their licenses and a few gym badges was foolish. It wasn't like they were competing in the Indigo League. Around eighteen months as a trainer wasn't that incredible. Still, he knew he'd have to go, or his mother would be disappointed.

It also gave him an excuse to eat until he thought he would die, which was nice.

A thought occurred to him that made him frown. "Grandpa," Ash called.

"Hm? Oak was watching Willow and Kakuna carefully. If anything started it would likely be one of them reacting on an instinctual fear.

"You said the strongest Pokemon tamed nature right? And that they were stronger than Pokemon like the Fog?"

"I did," the professor replied, his tone even and his expression stoic.

"How could it be that much stronger than the Fog?" Ash had a pretty good idea of what Pokemon were the Transcendents of the Indigo League, but he hadn't a clue what the identity of something that was simply beyond the Fog could be. The way his grandfather had worded his explanation worried him. It sounded as though whatever the Pokemon was it stood on a completely different level than the Fog.

"He. There is only one in the last three thousand years to have achieved this level," Oak told him. Fearia snapped to them with an unreadable look. "And you shouldn't worry, I doubt he'll return."

 _I shouldn't worry about something like that? How could I not worry about such a beast running wild?_ "What happens if it comes back?" The Fog teaming up with the Rockets was enough to frighten a former Champion and force another to personally make sure Lavender was well defended. If they managed to persuade this thing as well the League could be obliterated. " _Not the first time you've met a Transcendent, no, in fact, you both have met him of all Pokemon," the Fog continued eyeing them like they were a puzzle._ His jaw tightened.

"If it comes back?" Oak murmured, his gaze meeting Fearia's. "Well, if it comes back, my team and I probably won't be coming back."

Xxxxxxxxx

Oak probably wouldn't be good at comforting children.

A.N.

I finished the chapter about four days ago. I deleted two thousand words twice.

Not sure if it counts as a spin off. It'll be a bunch of oneshots showing what characters like Pikachu, Charizard, and Squirtle have been up to. There should also be a couple short chapters on King and Willow's childhood.

My next major story will be a Naruto fanfic. I think I'll build it around a pretty cliche idea and try to make it as unique as possible. Or a Bleach story. I haven't figured out which. I'm pretty sure the Naruto fandom will be active in a couple years so I might wait until part 2 of Into the Wild is done before doing anything in it.


	33. Chapter 33

The list of the teams should be up on my profile now.

I don't own Pokemon.

Episode 33

A New Seed?

Xxxxxx

Turn Back the Clock Part 1:

Samuel Oak had a bit of a dilemma on his hands.

Wave was Sam's best friend, his irreplaceable partner. He'd lost cost of the number of times the Gyarados had saved his life throughout their years together. If Sam was ever down, he could count on Wave to do all he could to cheer him up, and Sam would do the same for his beloved partner. It was hard for the gray-eyed boy to even imagine a world that didn't have his faithful sea serpent. His mother considered Wave to be the only friend he'd had in his childhood, which was probably true.

It was also true that Sam wanted to live long enough to see any nieces and nephews his sister would give him.

Sam winced when Wave was sent careening into the trunk of a tree before sinking to the hard ground. The sea serpent gurgled miserably as he twitched on the ground. The Gyarados female his partner had been courting threw her head back and roared before blasting a white beam at Wave.

The male Gyarados squawked as he yanked his head away from the Hyper Beam. The beam promptly melted through the tree's trunk.

Yes, Sam reflected while he watched his partner slither for his life, he'd not been in such a situation since Fearia tried to hunt a Rattata in front of its mother. "Should we wait for the mood to pass or?" he left the question hanging. The Spearow atop his shoulder ceased her grooming. Arcia's narrow amber eyes glared at him. Amphadora cooed in reluctant agreement. "Yeah, we'll just wait for it to pass. He's doing fine." It wasn't like it was their fault Wave was into older Gyarados. They'd step in if he couldn't handle her.

Wave cowered as the female cornered him between a cluster of trees. "He's doing fine," Sam said. Arcia barked in agreement. Dora, his sweet little Mareep, hid her head behind a leg.

After thirty minutes, the rage ended and the female collapsed wheezing. Sam eyed her like the volatile creature she was while they strolled past her. "You okay, buddy?" Arcia puffed soot and Fearia flapped it into the young Gyarados's face while Dora nuzzled Wave's cheek. The sea serpent's red eye opened.

Wave whined like a dying dog.

"Yeah," Sam agreed while pulling out a potion," you're not okay."

Blood rages were such unfortunate things.

Xxxxxx

"Who the hell are you?"

"Um, it's me, Ritchie," the blond boy told him. "You were supposed to help me get to Viridian, remember?"

Ash blinked. "Oh, Ritchie. Did you get shorter?" The blond flushed. Ash raised a brow when the Pikachu by the boy's side bristled. It may have been more intimidating were it not for the large red cheeks the mouse Pokemon had. The fact that he had an Ivysaur and a Houndoom sitting at his feet wasn't helping its cause. Pikachu's eyes widened when Willow turned to peer up at him. The mouse's confidence returned once he realized how small the Ivysaur was. "Hi, Wave!" Ash called.

The trainer laughed when Pikachu shrieked and hid behind one of Ritchie's legs. Its attitude reminded him of that gutsy little Pikachu his grandfather found about five years ago. He'd wager his hat it wasn't half as gifted as that Pikachu. That chubby mouse was an Aria level talent. It really was a shame it had escaped. "What's the name?" Ash inquired, grinning at the mouse who had just figured out he'd been tricked.

"Sparky," Ritchie mumbled while bending down to lift his partner onto his shoulder. Ash hummed before turning back to Kakuna. He offered the bug the Tanga berry. Kakuna tried to wiggle out of his grip. Ash scowled. They'd been doing this for the better part of half an hour. Holder-type berries like Tangas held the energy of a single element within them. Giving a Pokemon a holder-type of their element helped to strengthen their hide and promote growth. For Pokemon at his team's level they were truly a boon.

Ash held the Tanga berry out. Kakuna covered his maw with his mandibles. The trainer scowled while the bug's dark eyes narrowed. "You aren't getting any other snacks till this is gone!" Kakuna looked at Ash disbelievingly. "Do you want to sit out of all our battles?" the trainer demanded, narrowing his eyes. The bug whined and wiggled. "I thought not." Ash placed the berry into the bug's mandibles. He turned to Ritchie, "What do you want, kid?" The moment the trainer moved, Kakuna rolled the berry into Willow's maw.

Ritchie coughed into his fist, "I'm having a hard time with my Rhyhorn, and since you have a Swinub I was thinking you might be able to help me out?" he blurted, making Ash wince.

 _Dear god, do I scare him that much? Is it Gore? I bet it's Gore._ The giant hungry pig for a partner thing tended to freak people out. "Yeah, I'll help," the trainer shrugged. "Gore will be here in a couple minutes." Ash turned back to Kakuna and was delighted to see the Tanga berry gone. "See not so bad!" Kakuna buzzed in agreement. "Oi, sit down," he patted the seat next to him. Ash smiled once Ritchie did. The blond and Sparky blinked. _Seriously? You travel with a knife happy ninja!_

He sighed before propping his cheek up on the plastic table with a palm. Ash found he wasn't dreading the feast as he had yesterday. Watching the citizens of Pallet go about the work of preparing the food was making him feel oddly nostalgic. Round white tables were scattered about the green field in a design meant to allow a gigantic Gyarados to wind through without issue. The spicy ramen stand Mr. James owned made his belly grumble and Mr. and Mrs. Edwards barbeque stand nearly made him drool. It felt like home.

Pidgey and Spearow chirped and sang alongside their parents. Ash smiled. This was the only time of year the Pidgey and Spearow flocks were willing to tolerate one another. All the Pokemon of the corral would be in good moods. Wave would be bringing a literal ton of fish, Dora and Plains had been collecting berries for over a week, and Granyte and Fearia would be bringing several of the wild pigs that lived outside of the corral. Only the bird Pokemon would be eating near the citizens of Pallet, but every Pokemon at the corral would be getting a special meal. Ash grimaced when he remembered the one time they let the birds eat without supervision. Only Spearow could bring out the worst in the Pidgey when they were so well fed.

Ash stiffened as a sense of foreboding hit him. He placed Kakuna on the table before backing away from the table slowly. The bug would only slow them down. _Sorry buddy._ Ritchie and Sparky looked at him like he was doing something odd, but he didn't care. Ash had only just gestured for Willow and Hellfire to follow him when he heard the joyful bark to his left. _Shit._

A gigantic orange dog with a cream colored mane bounded down the street with her long pink tongue sticking out of the side of her maw. Ash's eyes widened. Acaya's eyes lit up happily when she saw him. He hadn't a chance to flee before the Arcanine pinned him beneath her paws. The trainer squawked indignantly when Acaya began licking his face enthusiastically. "Get off gyak-" _She got my tongue!_ He turned his cheek to the ground. "Willow, Hellfire helllllp- gyuah!" _She did it again! I swear this should be an attack..._

"That's enough, girl, let him up," his mother's almost eternally bubbly voice called. Ash groaned before moving to push himself to his feet on shaky legs. _Why do you always let her do that?_ He wanted to demand. Ash knew it would be pointless. His mother's amused smile said that clearly enough. "If you called home more often, I might stop her next time," Delia told him as she stroked Acaya's mane.

"No, you won't," Ash replied immediately.

"No, I wouldn't!" his mother chirped. The trainer sighed.

He turned to glare at his Pokemon. "Why didn't you help?" Hellfire whined, then he hid his eyes behind a paw. Willow was holding a wriggling Kakuna in front of her with her vines. "You're all awful," Ash growled. Delia laughed while Acaya padded up to his team. Willow and Kakuna stiffened so quickly Ash was certain the action hurt them. The Arcanine smiled at them, accidently displaying her more than two-inch long canine teeth. Kakuna's eyes bulged. Willow collapsed with her legs splayed out to each side and her tongue sticking out of her mouth. Ash facepalmed so hard he knew his forehead would be going red.

Acaya licked Kakuna, making the bug go blank-eyed before falling onto his side. Ash sighed. Even Hellfire had rolled onto his back with his legs in the air. _Well, at least he didn't hit the table._ That was something. Ash blinked. How was not knocking over a table a victory? _My god, I've fallen hard._ "Is this your Ivysaur?" his mother asked, her lips quirked up as they watched the tiny dinosaur continue her act.

"Yeah, that's Willow," Ash answered while resisting the urge to sigh again.

"She's adorable!" Delia cooed. "Acaya, please step back, dear," the auburn haired woman requested. Acaya blinked, then turned from inspecting Hellfire to trot to Ash. Even with his latest growth spurt the dog Pokemon towered over him at six feet without counting her mane. It was odd to think she was considered short for an Arcanine who had earned all nine of her stripes. Ash glanced down at Acaya's cream colored chest. She was rather broad for her kind though, so he supposed she wouldn't be lacking in power even when compared to the biggest of her kind.

His mother and her Arcanine's relationship was an odd one. Most Pokemon viewed their partners as something between a best friend and an alpha. Powerful Pokemon like Sabrina's Glace or a member of Erika's team would never submit to any human who they didn't respect. Why would they? They were more than capable of controlling herds of over a hundred easily on their own. Those they respected could command them, but they would not kneel. Acaya was as powerful as the Nidoking they'd fought and far more experienced. There weren't any Pokemon other than Dria, Pins, and his grandfather's team that stood above her between Pallet and Pewter.

Yet she listened to an average trainer who would've never battled seriously if Acaya hadn't begged for it. Oak told him the Arcanine respected his mother's work ethic enough to obey her. " _There's more to life than strength Ash."_ Ash still couldn't make sense of their relationship fully, but it didn't baffle him anymore.

Though he'd known the Arcanine since his birth it still struck him how beautiful and majestic the Growlithe line was once they reached their full potential. Acaya's creamy mane flowed down the full length of her muscular neck. Her similarly colored fluffy tail was softer than any pillow, yet was a formidable weapon in battle. The long black stripes that wrapped across her back, legs, served to further accentuate the great dog's might. She was every bit the monarch Arcia would have wanted her to be. The slight pang in his chest was duller than it might've been before his talk with his grandfather. _Wherever she is, I bet she's proud of you, girl._ Ash smiled and reached out to rub her behind an ear.

Then Acaya rolled on her back and displayed her belly. The dog grinned as she panted happily at him. Ash laughed before kneeling and rubbing her belly. He grinned at Willow and Kakuna. The Ivysaur stared from his mother's arms as though she was witnessing something that changed her world. The trainer's grin widened further when Hellfire cocked his head to the side. "Don't let this fool you!" Ash called. "She's a ruthless predator! You're an awful bloodthirsty beast, aren't you girl?" Acaya yipped and licked his cheek. Ash grimaced, but his smile returned as quickly as it came.

Acaya's grin faded and her ears shot up as she turned to their right. A giant pig with shaggy brown fur trotted out from the lab's right side. Gore froze when he entered the clearing and began to sniff the air. Acaya's dark eyes lit up. _The licking again!_ "Gore, run!" Ash cried. Acaya flipped to her feet as quick as lightning. Gore squealed before turning and bolting at a speed Ash doubted any Piloswine had ever reached before. The trainer knew it wouldn't save him as he watched the Arcanine blast after his partner.

Xxxxxx

"About your Rhyhorn," Ash coughed lightly into his fist, "What did you want to know?"

"Well, uh, how long will she be like that?" Ritchie pointed at the rhinoceros. Gore was showing the tiny ground-type the proper technique for maximizing horn penetration from a charge. Of course, a Rhyhorn's horn was just a large nub for the first three years of its life, but he supposed it was better to get a start on this while she was young.

"You mean dopey looking? She'll always be like that, if you wanted a smart one you should've gotten a Geodude or a Phanpy." For the life of him, he couldn't think of another ground-type that had sense outside of battle that wasn't completely out of a rookie's range. Or foreign. Or both.

"She's not dopey!" the blond snapped. Ash raised a brow. _He does have a spine._ "What I meant was-"

"Oi, Gore! Make sure you tell her she can't do that in an official battle! Show her how to mold her energy around the horn so it's a blunt object!" Ash interrupted. "Oh, and make sure she knows why it's bad!" he added. One of Gore's ears twitched before the boar turned to snort at the comparatively tiny Pokemon. The Piloswine's tusks were consumed by a white energy that extended slightly beyond his tusks and curved into an oval shape. Charging with tusks or horns enhanced by a piercing attack in an official battle was a crime that could have your license stripped away at worst.

Rhyhorn tilted her head to the side and blinked at the warning. She would learn. He just hoped she'd learn in a gentler way than Gore and Ash did. Rhyhorn stared for another moment before turning and catching sight of a rather large puddle King had created. "So, what's the problem?"

"It's-" Rhyhorn rammed her reflection the puddle, which made her flop on her back. "It's that. She-she keeps doing that," Ritchie explained with a wince as Rhyhorn began squealing and flailing. Gore raced over to Rhyhorn with such speed that Sparky went wide-eyed. _Dramatic thing isn't she?_ King's water energy should have long since left that puddle by now _._ The Piloswine stomped to a stop next to Rhyhorn. He sniffed her urgently before turning to her left. His eyes widened when he saw the large puddle next to them. The Piloswine stared for a moment before roaring and ramming the puddle.

 _God damn it Gore... We were almost cool._ "I think that kind of answered itself," Ash uttered, his eye twitching. Gore grunted in confusion when he realized his reflection was gone. Rhyhorn chuffed at the boar and the Piloswine huffed back. They stared at the water for another moment, before squealing and butting their tusk and horn together. _Oh gods, they think they won something._

"If it makes you feel any better, he's better when he fights. Or when he's hungry." The trainer paused. "Especially when he's hungry. You should, uh, make sure she doesn't have to choose between you and food until you trust her completely," Ash added. He wouldn't put it beyond Gore to eat Gary if he thought he needed to.

"Er- okay. I won't," Ritchie responded. He and Sparky were eyeing him like he was utterly insane. Ash snorted. They'd learn what it was like to be with a hungry ground-type soon enough. Ash turned back to watch the ground-types inspect the puddle. _I should probably tell him about that too._

"One more thing, Ritchie. In fact, I'd say this is the most important thing when it comes to a Pokemon like her," the trainer said pointing at Rhyhorn. The image of a Meowth with a tusk buried in his belly flashed through his mind. "Ground-types will stick by you no matter that comes your way. Someday, Rhyhorn might do something to protect you, something so terrible you'll wonder if she's any different than any wild beast…" Ritchie swallowed when Ash turned to give him a severe look. " _Never_ abandon her, or any other Pokemon, for what she is willing to do for your sake," Ash finished his eyes boring into the younger boy's timid orbs.

More than a few trainers lost their spines after seeing what their Pokemon were capable of. Those weaklings didn't deserve to call themselves trainers. If Ritchie was one of them, Ash would make him regret it. "I-I won't," the blonde assured him while lowering his eyes.

"Good," Ash said in a gruff tone. "Now, anything else?" The food would be served soon. He could tell by the way Gore would glance in the laboratory's direction every so often and snort at Rhyhorn. _He's trying to make a mini glutton._ Judging by the way Rhyhorn drooled, he was succeeding. _First Willow, now this poor little cow._ Ash needed to have a serious talk with the boar about Gore's influence on younger Pokemon at some point.

A thrilled howl sounded, making him smile and Gore snap toward the lab. The Piloswine squealed before racing away with Rhyhorn on his heels. "I didn't know she was that fast," Ritchie said, his eyes widening.

"Again, don't make her choose between you and food for a long time," Ash uttered in a dry tone. He wondered if Gore was reaching max speed for a Piloswine.

Xxxxx

A yawn by his feet caught his attention. Willow rubbed her eyes with a vine as she crawled down King's dominant arm. She slipped, but caught herself on the Kingler's hammer and stepping down carefully. One of King's narrow dark eyes snapped open. He eyed the dinosaur with mild irritation as he pushed himself up. The crab glanced at the lab. Ash nodded and smiled.

King grunted before turning around. Hellfire was lying on his back with all of his feet in the air and his tail wagging slightly. King spat a burst of bubbles into the dog's face. Hellfire's eyes snapped open as he rolled to stand. Unfortunately, there was a small tree next to him, which meant he was quickly reacquainted with the ground. Hellfire stared at the tree as though it was a dear friend that had betrayed him horribly. "Food's ready," Ash said while rolling his eyes and turning to march away. _Where'd Ritchie and Pikachu run off to?_ The trainer shrugged when he couldn't find them. He was old enough to train a Pikachu, then he was old enough to find his own meal.

Willow cooed after scouring the small clearing. "Gore went on ahead," Ash answered. Hellfire padded up to his side and butted the trainer's hand lightly until Ash began to rub him between his curved horns. "Guys, make sure you look out for Kakuna. We need him to be calmer around birds if we want him to have the food fresh." _And if we want him to fight in the conference._ Kakuna's Pokeball shook in response. Willow gave the Pokeball a worried look. "It's like your big groups thing or King's temper. He's got to do this to move forward," Ash explained. King hissed.

The trainer rolled his eyes. The only way to control King's temper was making sure he wasn't in a position to lose it completely. He'd asked Ron and Daisy for advice, surfed the web, went through a few of his grandfather's books on water-types, and found nothing he didn't already know. Water-types that lived alone preferred to smash first and investigate whatever startled or irritated them later. The horrible temper solitary water-types were known for was strong in him too. The solution they found for King's situation was a simple one.

Hellfire was now the crab guard.

King wasn't thrilled, but Ash knew he could count on Hellfire to watch the crab Pokemon and diffuse any situation. The trainer stared as the dog began to bite at own arrow shaped tail. _I may need a backup plan._ Ash sighed. Hellfire was far more capable when they needed him to be, and had a feeling for when he needed to be serious. Ash would have to gamble on that instinct. The trainer and Willow winced when the dog clamped onto his tail and yelped.

"Sometimes I wonder how he survived this long," Ash confessed while tugging on the bill of his hat. King rumbled in agreement before giving his trainer a wry look that Ash ignored. Willow looked between Hellfire and the lab before crooning and trotting to the Houndoom. She shot two seeds from her bulb. One landed on her forehead, the other she wrapped in a vine and placed on Hellfire's forehead. _A Leech Seed?_ King's eyes widened once the seeds began to emit a green hue. Ash's breath froze as he watched the angry red marks on Hellfire's tail seal shut. The trainer looked to his Kingler. King looked as baffled as Ash felt.

Willow sighed after the hue faded. The dinosaur wobbled slightly, but Hellfire caught her with a paw. The Houndoom whuffed cheerfully and Willow squeaked back quietly. "How'd she do that? Did you know she could do that?" Ash inquired glancing at King. The crab offered him a confused gurgle. _Since when can grass-types heal? And when did she even learn this?_ Hellfire howled and took off in a sprint to the lab with Willow on his back. "Wait! I have so many questions!"

Xxxxxxxx

We learned more about Hellfire and King lately, so I thought it was time to introduce you to more info about Willow's species.

I may write a sequel that is set in Unova, depending on how things go in other fandoms. Ash probably won't be the main character. I think it's pretty obvious he'd own more or less everything by that point. I do like the idea of him as a mentor figure though.


	34. Chapter 34

If you haven't figured by now I do not own Pokemon, then there's nothing that I can do to make it clear to you.

Looks like the Pallet Arc is longer than the Lavender one already. Kind of surprising. I've not yet received any reviews telling me it's too long, so I'm patting myself on the back.

Episode 34

The Feast

Xxxxx

A conversation between King and Hellfire in the Viridian Forest... Alternatively titled King is kind of a jerk

King watched as Gore ran his tusk along a rock he'd hardened. Resting was boring. If there weren't any games to be played, any techniques to be honed, foes to be slain, or females to charm, then what else was a boar do? King could empathize. But resting had to be done. They had to stick to the paths, which meant they rarely had shade while traveling this accursed forest. The lack of shade was part of why King kept to his little pond. The other reason was that the other ponds were controlled by larger and more evolved Pokemon.

King grunted, his other eye opening as Hellfire padded up to him with his head held high. The dog sat on his haunches. King stared at him. _Really? He's going to make me do it?_ "What's your deal?"

"Ash says I'm about ninety percent of how strong Gore was before he evolved," Hellfire whuffed, his small tail wagging at a speed a human could only process as a blur. The dog Pokemon thought on it. "He said about ninety percent of his strength if puberty wasn't kicking his woolly pig a-" The Houndoom's tail froze and King stiffened when they heard a hiss from behind them. They'd forgotten about Willow's nap. "You get the point," Hellfire finished more quietly.

"Ninety percent huh?" King grunted. Hellfire yipped. "So that means you're a third of my strength right now? Or maybe forty percent at the very best?" Hellfire's ears fell. "And maybe ten percent of that Nidoking, I'd wager." The Houndoom flopped onto his side. King petted him lightly with his dominant claw, "Good dog."

Willow trotted up to the Houndour's side and wrapped her vines around his head. King froze when she glared at him. "What?"

Mere days later…

King regarded Hellfire with mild interest as the dog all but strutted toward him. He waited until the Houndoom neared him. "So, now you're seventy percent of my strength?" the crab Pokemon called in a nonchalant tone. Hellfire stiffened and turned toward him. "My elemental strength of course. Physically you'd be lucky to be half as strong as I am," King added, earning a whine.

The Houndoom slumped and the Kingler nudged him lightly. He fell onto his side without resistance. King petted him with his dominant claw. "Good dog."

Xxxxxxx

The light vibrations under his feet was beginning to unsettle Ash. _Wave should have been at the lab by now. Something must have gone wrong. Did he get in a fight?_ _Is he wounded?_ Ash blinked before rubbing his temple. The trainer took in a deep, slow breath. Ash smiled and patted King behind his crown. _I'm acting like a mother hen._

The sight of another small flock soaring toward Viridian killed the smile as quickly as it sprang to life. Ash glanced down at the open back of his gloved hand. _I'm sweating, why am I sweating?_ It was a September morning. Kanto wasn't anywhere near as hot as Hoenn or the Orange Islands. _My heart's speeding up too._

King rumbled as he watched the Pidgey flee like a furious Fearow was chasing them. The Kingler's eyes darted around them as though he expected a predator to burst from the tree line or charge down the dirt path at any moment.

Then a giant furious Fearow did shriek, making King and Ash jump and the flock change course. "You know, when we were younger, we wondered if the corral's population was low because of her," Ash said with a sigh, "Course we also thought she was possessed by a Pokemon that had escaped the realm of Giratina," he muttered. The wary look King was sending the corral had Ash thinking the Kingler was wondering the same.

 _There's that rumor about her wiping out a flock to celebrate her first clutch's hatching, but I think it's best I avoid that topic._ It was probably just a rumor anyway. Ash found he could picture her wiping out a flock in irritation easily enough. He shuddered.

A black and white form raced into the edge of his vision. "Willow and Hellfire are almost here!" Ash hissed. King rumbled before turning to face them. The trainer took a few deep breaths. There wasn't any point in worrying the youngest members of the team. _Not yet anyway._

There were other things he needed to figure out now. Like why a grass and poison mix could heal. _Only fairies, grass Pokemon with fairy moves, and the Flames of Courage, Moltres, should be able to heal._ If grass-types could heal, then why did Pokemon Centers need to spend so much money to get fairies? _Maybe I haven't heard of this because of how rare the Bulbasaur line is?_ The number of Venusaur in the Indigo League's territory was under ten at his most generous estimate. The only ones who knew much about the species he was willing to speak to were Janine's family, and they guarded their secrets carefully. _Her healing definitely isn't as good as a fairy's. All she did was seal a small wound and she was tired out._

His grandfather and Master Ace were old friends, Oak would know a fair amount about Willow's species. _Which means I just need to bribe him a bit and I'm set._

"That was, uh, that was new," Ash said once Hellfire padded to a stop in front of him. King glared at them. Hellfire tilted his head to the side at the crab's hostility. The Kingler's dominant arm drooped. _Hard to stay mad at him, isn't it?_ "S~o, you heal now. Anything else I should know?" the trainer inquired. He was still so stunned by her new ability felt like the ground was trembling. Ash furrowed his brow. _Something about that last part doesn't sound right._

"Oho? She's learned to transfer energy has she?" King spun and swung only to have his sword parried by something that created a crack on impact.

"Grandpa!" Ash sighed in relief as his heart slowed. "You almost gave me a heart attack!" he scolded.

"Hmm, I'd say that has more to do with your eating habits," Oak responded as he tapped his chin.

"I'm not hearing that crap from you of all people," Ash scoffed. "Mom learned to cook because you nearly killed Uncle."

"My food is healthy!"

"Your food is toxic!"

"You see the way he treats me, Willow?" Oak asked as he looked beyond Ash. "You'd never treat your grandpa like that, would you?" The Ivysaur glanced between the two of them as though deciding which Charizard would eat her.

"Remember who feeds you, Willow," Ash said, giving the dinosaur a sharp look. Willow made herself as small as possible as she hid behind Hellfire's horns. _Huh, if they were a bit bigger I wouldn't be able to see her at all._

"Threatening a calf now, are we? What a low, low human being you have become Ash," Oak observed, clicking his tongue and shaking his head.

"Shouldn't you be tripping over your coat, or studying, or at least doing something a little bit productive?" Ash demanded with a huff.

"I am doing something productive. I'm bonding with my grandson," Oak told him in a tone one would use when explaining something to an idiot. The edge of Ash's vision was beginning to turn red. "Okay, okay, I'm heading to the feast," the professor explained, holding his hands up in surrender.

"The food isn't ready yet, that's why they came back," the trainer sighed and pointed at Hellfire. The Houndoom kicked at a pebble. "What? You wanted to look like a loyal Pokemon following my order to come back? After ditching me for food?" Ash snorted. Hellfire whined, prompting Willow to glare at him before hopping off his neck. The trainer rolled his eyes when she pulled herself onto his shoulder and licked his cheek. _You're both suck ups._

"How'd you block King's claw?" he asked, turning to his grandfather with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Why, with my cane, of course," Oak said, holding the brown cane that came up to his chin up. Ash's eyes narrowed. There was a silver material beneath the chipped wood. _Metal huh._ Hellfire whined again and Ash turned to him. _What?_ His Houndoom was openly trembling while King had gripped his dominant arm with his smaller claw to stop it's subtle shaking. Ash nearly jumped when another wave of tremors racked them. They were becoming more powerful at a disturbing rate.

Ash found his breathing growing faster. His hand was falling to Gore's Pokeball when a large hand clapped down on his shoulder. He looked up at his grandfather's grave, lined face. "It's been quite a while since you felt this, hasn't it?" Oak said as he turned to face the bay.

 _Be neat if you weren't so casual about it, old man._ A Champion's Gyarados losing his temper could easily lead to the utter destruction of Pallet Town. "Why's he so bothered?" Ash asked after glancing in the direction the vibrations were coming from again. Wave was generally a very laid back Pokemon. The last time he saw the Gyarados this agitated was when Gary and Aria nearly died.

"There was an oil spill in Porta Vista about a month back. A mere two hours later, a sailor claimed to have seen a Tentacruel longer than a ten story building." King snapped to them with a peculiar light shining in his dark eyes. "Ten minutes after that, a terrible storm fell upon the city with waves too fierce for our sailors to brave," Oak explained.

"A Tentacruel can't be that big! Even Champion Macy's only made it to thirty-two feet!" the trainer protested. The notion of a Tentacruel so massive existing, let alone going unnoticed as it grew was preposterous. Ash froze. No, there was one that was that large and it did hide itself effectively. If it happened once, then what was stopping it from happening again? "This is another one of those," Ash rubbed his forehead. "Like Hellfang," he added when his grandfather gave him a blank look. Oak winced. "It's worse," Ash's shoulders sank.

King made an odd squealing noise. "And you're not fighting it!" King glared at him. "Damn bloodthirsty crabs," the trainer muttered. _Isn't Gore supposed to be the crazy one?_

"Reminds me of Arcia," Oak huffed and elbowed him lightly in the ribs.

"Just finish the story," Ash grumbled. _Are the birds really leaving because of something that happened a month ago?_

"Oh, fine. Being the responsible former Champion I am, I had Wave talk him down before Porta Vista became dangerously below sea level," the professor snickered at his own joke. Ash groaned, then stiffened when the implications of the statement sank in.

"Wait a minute! You're telling me you sent Wave to talk to him alone?" Ash stared at his grandfather like he'd lost all sense.

"I may have," the professor responded while averting his eyes.

"I'm gonna talk to mom about you going in a home. Or an institution," the trainer decided after a moment.

Oak's eyes narrowed, "You wouldn't dare." They both knew he wasn't going in a home, but an institutionalization wasn't impossible. His team might even approve of it if they explained it to them. Especially after the incident with the Dragonite.

"I might do it," Ash drawled. The professor rolled his eyes like a petulant child.

"I've not snapped yet, brat!" Oak retorted with a scowl.

"Pretty sure you've been avoiding psychiatrists since before Uncle Garrett was born," Ash responded with a shrug.

"I'll have you know he's not hurt and I sent Plains with him!" The vibrations had become weaker yet Ash felt they were coming from something nearer to them. "See for yourself!" Instead of Wave, a brown bull with a dark brown mane wrapped around his neck and curved white horns trotted out of the tree line. Three long scars stretched crossed his chest and another scar from a horn slashing him across the side of his throat. Plains' three black whip like tails slapped his side lightly as he bellowed a greeting.

"Hey big guy!" Ash shouted while grinning and waving at the three thousand-pound bull. "Great isn't he, guys?" the trainer asked as he turned back to his team. His jaw slackened. Hellfire was lying on his side with his long tongue hanging out of his maw. Ash stared for another moment before turning to Willow and King. "Thank you for having a bit of sense," the trainer told them in the sincerest tone he'd used since Gore began his campaign against Ash's sanity. King saluted while Willow gave Hellfire an exasperated look.

"You really do have an interesting bunch," Oak said with a gray brow raised.

"Don't need to tell me that," the trainer retorted.

Plains stopped a few feet in front of them and shook his great head. "This'll be the first time you're team has met him right?" the professor inquired in a light tone.

"Yeah," Ash answered, his eyes still locked on Hellfire.

"Well, then," the professor coughed into his fist, "King! Willow! This is the bull who has been the world's strongest Tauros for over forty years," Oak told them while pointing at the Tauros. Plains bellowed and stomped a great hoof with enough force to make the earth beneath it to take on the hoof's shape. "Ah, you're right, I apologize. World's strongest bovine for over forty years." The Tauros stared at him for a beat. "That includes Alder's buffalo," the professor added. Plains snorted in satisfaction.

Ash gave the Tauros a deadpan look. Plains hadn't even seen Alder's Bouffalant in over thirty public match was a decisive victory in his favor, so the trainer hadn't a clue why the Tauros insisted on making his superiority known. Willow cooed and tilted her head to the side. _She's not afraid of him?_ Could it be because Plains was a herbivore and an older bull?

King was eyeing Plains as one might a gift from the heavens, then his dominant arm took on a white hue. "I'll cook you in a hot tub!" Ash hissed. The Kingler glared at him. The trainer glared back. Messing with a member of his grandfather's team meant messing with Dora, and he didn't feel like carrying a paralyzed crab around for a few hours.

Ash smiled and waved when Wave's head became visible over the trees. The Gyarados gave a rumble in return making the earth vibrate and King and Hellfire fall into battle ready positions. "Thought he was gone because the vibrations got lighter?" Ash smirked.

His brow creased when they ignored him in favor of continuing to watch the approaching Gyarados in a manner reminiscent of someone expecting an Electrode to go off a foot in front of them. They weren't blinking, even when Willow waved a vine in front of them. "Relax, boys," Oak said in a soothing tone. "He's not attacked unprovoked in all of his life." Hellfire glanced at Ash and whined before rising from his crouch when the trainer smiled. King maintained a crouched position with his larger claw in front of him like a shield.

 _Is it because of his species?_ Though they functioned well on land, the vast majority of the sea serpents hunted in the water. It made sense for a water-type to be especially weary of a Gyarados. He glanced at Willow, only to be greeted by a patch of dirt. Oak tapped his shoulder.

His Ivysaur had seated herself on her haunches in front of Wave. She trilled up at him and Wave snorted back. _Wait, what? Wasn't she afraid of him when we left? If she wasn't scared of him, then what was it?_ Ash smirked. _Never mind. I can use this._ "Never thought I'd see the day she's braver than you," he said, giving the Kingler a sly glance. King gargled like something was in his throat before glaring at Ash like he'd lost all sense. "What?" he snorted. "She's out there, you're hiding behind me. Seems like she's braver to me."

King hissed, his dark eyes flashing ominously. "Prove me wrong," Ash offered, shrugging. The Kingler glanced at the ground before marching toward the sea serpent. A silver orb smacked into Wave's neck, enveloping the serpent's head in smoke. Willow squeaked and King activated Harden while Hellfire began to sniff insistently with Odor Sleuth.

A sense of foreboding growing in his belly, Ash turned around. His partner stood not twenty yards down the trail. Gore bellowed and pawed at the ground in challenge

"Oh? That was his Ancient Power wasn't it?" Oak inquired, glancing at Plains.

"Y-yeah," the trainer answered. Another bellow of challenge and stomping of Gore's front hooves made Ash facepalm. Wave dispersed the smoke with a huff, his blood red eyes glinting dangerously. The Piloswine pawed at the ground again before blasting a stream of howling wind at the Gyarados. Wave snorted a burst of water that smothered the Gore's attack with ease before it engulfed Gore himself and trapped him in a whirling orb. Only his snout and his flailing legs were free to wiggle while he fought to free himself.

"That was… even more one sided than usual," Ash muttered, his cheeks heating up. _He pulled this crap yesterday! Why did he think it would end any differently?_

"I'd give him an a for effort," Oak said, chuckling, "But his sense is still definitely getting a failing grade."

As they watched Gore try to freeze the water the trainer knew Wave had commanded to remain in its liquid form, Ash had to admit his grandfather was correct.

Xxxxx

"Hey, Dora! How've you been?" The Ampharos just stared at him. Ash's smile faded a bit. The kangaroo leaned down to sniff at his hat. "We don't have to do this every single time I leave Pallet," the trainer grumbled. Hellfire shot him a scandalized look. "What? We don't! Doesn't this ever get old for you two? The feast is right around the corner," Ash said, pointing at the lab his grandfather and Wave had disappeared around. _Jerks, left us. Took my pig too._

The Ampharos ignored him in favor of continuing her inspection while Hellfire barked in an affronted manner. Ash's eye twitched. She even did this the last time he and his mother went to the Viridian Pokemart. They'd been gone for less than an hour, but the Ampharos was convinced something may have changed. So she sniffed. After another long moment, Dora snorted lightly in a satisfied manner and leaned back. Ash had to crane his neck back a bit to look into the kangaroo's dark eyes.

Amphadora's fur was a deep yellow fur that always reminded him of falling lightning, her underbelly was white while her long neck, powerful tail, and conical ears each had three black stripes wrapped around them. The red orbs atop her tail's tip and her forehead were what made the Mareep family truly unique among Electric-types. Through these orbs, they could channel electric, draconic, bug, and even rock energy. Their versatility and destructive potential made the Mareep line one of the most powerful electric-types species in the world.

It was odd to imagine a fluffy Flaaffy or a Mareep assisting an officer in arrest, but their gentle disposition, natural protective instincts, and the ease with which they could be trained made them a mainstay for the police force in every region they were common in.

Ash scratched the part of Dora's thin neck that her flipper like arms couldn't reach and was rewarded with a purr. They also made nice pets, girls were especially fond of the family. _Pretty popular with trainers looking to meet girls._ That was something he suspected Willow and Grace could do even better than the sheep and kangaroo mix. Ash was looking forward to seeing what would happen if he won a round using them. He smiled. _The Conference is going to be great for us._

A familiar hiss and a dainty paw poking his leg made him freeze. Grace gave him a glare fierce enough to make him gulp. "Got away from Acaya, I see," Ash laughed nervously, his eyes darting around for some form of shield. Throwing her at Acaya to distract the Arcanine wasn't the most honorable of actions, but Acaya had seemed convinced Kakuna needed to be groomed. Ash couldn't picture that ending without something being horribly poisoned or burned, so a sacrifice had to be made for the good of the team. "At least you had the chance to bond with a powerful fire-type? A-and you look great!" he offered.

Hellfire inched away from Ash. _The little traitor._ The dog had been all too happy to escape when the Arcanine was distracted. _And where the hell did Dora hop off to?_ "We should be getting to the table now," the trainer decided, "It can't start without the returning Rookies." Ash promptly lifted Kakuna onto one shoulder and made sure Willow was secure on the other before strolling around the lab. Grace yipped indignantly and scurried after him, prompting him to fall into a near run.

Grace stumbled to a stop when they were halfway around the lab. Her eyes widened as a joyful bark sounded. Ash rushed to flatten himself against the wall of the lab, making Willow squeak and nearly dislodging Kakuna. Grace flipped around and entered Quick Attack. Acaya bounded around the lab after her. "I swear I felt wind when she passed me," Ash muttered, shaking his head lightly. He would never get used to a four hundred pound dog acting like an attention starved puppy.

He stepped the around the lab with a relieved smile. _Those Spearow getting her hip was a blessing. Definitely wouldn't have gotten away otherwise._ "Thanks for the help back there pal!" Hellfire didn't even bother offering him an apology as he raced to the food. "He can be a jerk sometimes," Ash muttered as he followed after the Houndoom. Kakuna clicked in agreement while he was being lowered to the ground. "Whatever, let's eat ," Ash backpedaled clutching his aching nose. A pink wall had materialized in front of him.

"Oh, you made it! Mom was about to call Acaya," Daisy said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"G-good thing she didn't," the trainer uttered with a nervous laugh. He understood the Arcanine was on edge after not seeing them and her Growlithe in over a year, but why did his mother just watch when they were caught? The barrier faded and a large purple feline with a red gem on the center of her forehead sauntered to Daisy's side. Ash glared at the Espeon. Eia's white eyes shone as a full moon might when she saw him. Ash's hand was falling to King's Pokeball when Willow hopped off his shoulder. The dinosaur swallowed as the Espeon's milky gaze fell to her.

Daisy sighed, "I thought you two were past this."

"Why'd you think that?" Ash asked, his eyes locked on Eia's orbs.

"Don't you remember? We had a long talk about it, and you two hugged!"

That made Eia and Ash turn to her. "No we did not," the trainer corrected. He distinctly remembered Gore getting thrown through a branch, then Aria jumped in and blasted Eia and Gore because she couldn't stand being left out.

"Are you sure? I was certain you made up," Daisy responded, her forehead creasing in thought. Eia shot her trainer a flat, unimpressed look.

 _This another one of those, remember what she wants to remember things isn't it?_ "Shouldn't you be-" A loud bark and the sound of flippers slapping together gave him a reason. "Keeping Dewi from trying to balance a Metapod on his nose?"

"What?" She turned around. "Again? Really? You'd think he'd of learned after the first three times!" Daisy grumbled before striding toward the Dewgong. Eia shot him a final dirty look and trotted after her trainer.

"Willow, remember that talk we had about your fighting over berries," Ash began, eyeing the Espeon's back. "It doesn't apply to her." Willow shifted in place before cooing uncertainly. "Forget about it, let's just enjoy the food," the trainer sighed.

Ash could feel gazes burning into him as they made their way to the platform Pins and the other ground-types had built. The four stairs were smooth enough to make one think they'd been crafted by hand and were at a height he found neither too tall or too short. Willow had to hop to climb them. Kakuna was left at the bottom, glaring at the steps as though they were the lowest of individuals. Willow offered him her vines, only to receive a glare.

The bug Pokemon rolled back, then shot a string at the highest of the steps. He tugged, crashed into the step, and bounced several feet back. Ash felt his cheeks burn when hoots, laughter, and squeaks sounded. A red orb flew over the trainer's head and exploded into the earth yards behind Kakuna. He turned to find Hellfire baring his canines at Sparky, Aria, and Gary.

Willow snorted quietly before sending her vines out to grab Kakuna. The bug squeaked indignantly as the Ivysaur lifted him to the top step. Ash picked Kakuna up before the bug could try something they'd all regret. "Let it go. They didn't mean it like that," he told his Houndoom. Hellfire shut his maw slowly while maintaining his glare. Ash tugged him by his nape as the trainer made his way to the end of the table. Sparky glared at Hellfire as Ash took the seat next to Ritchie.

Ash placed Kakuna on the table as he took his seat. "Your Pikachu is a jerk," he said, glancing at the blond. Sparky hissed, his red cheeks giving off small sparks.

"Sometimes, yeah," Ritchie replied with an apologetic smile. Sparky glared at his partner.

"Hellfire, where's Gore?" The Houndoom blinked and turned from glaring at an unimpressed Aria. Hellfire stared at Ash blankly. "Just use Sniff," he deadpanned. He still couldn't believe the oldest known fossils of Houndoom were believed to be around ninety-five thousand years old. _How the hell did this species last a millennia without humans?_ He didn't care what the legends said, the First Tamer had to have lived more than ten thousand years ago.

Hellfire whuffed at him to get his attention, then he pointed to a table about ten yards to their left. He found Gore lying on his side next to Rhyhorn with a large watermelon in front of him. "Of course he found some food," Ash muttered to himself, sighing.

After his annoyance faded, Ash felt a nostalgic feeling wash over him. Rhyhorn was a little over two and a half feet tall and was about as broad as an average sized man. She was slightly smaller than Gore was before he evolved. _Nah, he was way chubbier._ The trainer smirked. If she had tiny tusks and shaggy brown fur she'd fit right in a herd of Swinub. Ash blinked. Next to Gore as a Piloswine she appeared a child. _She is a child._ The realization made his back stiffen. They were children when they left. Ash ran a hand through his hair. The trainer still didn't know what to think of the picture his mother had taken the week before they left on their journey.

Gore chuffed before pushing a melon toward the smaller ground-type. Rhyhorn squealed enthusiastically as she beheld the treat. The small Donphan cow two tables over gave Gore an appraising look. The Piloswine offered Ash an inconspicuous grin, then he turned to teach Rhyhorn how to better scoop the food up.

"Say what you will about him, but you can't deny the pig has game," Ash muttered while propping his cheek up on a palm. Willow huffed before lying by her trainer's feet.

"... Ya know, that might actually work on me," Janine admitted with a blink. Gary froze with his hand inches above Eevee's back. _Not even trying to hide it anymore, are you?_ It was a step, he supposed.

"First time you've seen him like this, eh?" Ash asked with a smile. Hellfire gave a slightly subdued whuff as he watched his friend. The raven-haired trainer snickered. Ash found himself regretting they'd only met two Pokemon that Gore had taken an interest throughout all their journey. Hellfire's tilted head and baffled blink would never get old.

 _At the same time, I'm kind of glad we didn't run into too many ground-type females close to Gore's age._ Trainers could get a bit overprotective when it came to their female Pokemon. Ash frowned. Even explaining Gore couldn't get them pregnant didn't help.

Ash raised a brow when Donphan huffed in a manner similar to Gore's laughter. The trainer wished he could get the Piloswine to use his mind like this on matters other than food, fighting, and finding more food. Ash turned around to glare at Wave. _I blame you for this._ The Gyarados who had curled up between the lab and the table of honor grinned. Absently, he noted the horrified squeak Sparky vocalized at the grin.

"Ash take your hat off!" his mother's voice snapped from the right.

"It's in my lap!" Ash retorted, turning to face the auburn-haired woman. He wasn't sure how to react when he realized he couldn't even see her head behind the giant pot she was carrying. Delia sat the pot down on a table a few feet in front of Ash with a relieved groan. _What the hell does she have in there?_ His brow creased. _That couldn't be the noodles, could it?_ Three women and two men made their way to his mother's side before placing the large pots they carried next to his mother's giant pot.

"Ash you know you have to-" His mother paused, her mouth forming an oh as she stared up at him. "Huh, it actually is off," Delia observed in a stunned tone. Willow peeked out from under the table and made an amazed coo. Ash shot them both dry looks. Delia cleared her throat and scoured the various stands set up. She found what she wanted. "All right, everybody! It's time to get your plates!" she declared, clapping her hands.

The trainer blinked, and there was a small line at each of the stands. Ritchie made to stand, prompting Ash to place a hand on his shoulder. The blond turned to him with a quizzical look. The older trainer pointed at the men and women standing beside his mother. "They work for my mom. Just ask, they'll get anything you want," he said. "And your team too," he added as he released King. The Kingler grunted upon release before moving to stretch. Hellfire whuffed a cheerful greeting the crab returned with a gurgle.

"How do I know what's out-" One of the women, a brunette with brown eyes and a winning smile, handed Ritchie a menu. "Oh," the blond said as she placed menus in front of the other trainers. Ash wanted to get their measure, but he knew his mother would find out. He knew their respective partners were from the Oddish, Poliwag, and Houndour families. All very capable families that grew into their second forms quickly with support. Which made him wonder how they managed to lose to Vinya after a year's worth of training. _Oh god, I'm analyzing them. I just said I wouldn't do that!_

A throat cleared. "I, uh, I'll have this," he said, pointing at the fourth dish on the menu. Ash sincerely hoped they didn't switch anything around on the menu this year. He felt his mother's eyes on him as the waiter left to get his food.

"Ash, you need to do something about Gore," his sister's voice called in a nervous tone. Ash almost rolled his eyes. Surely, she wasn't worried about Gore flirting a bit? He glanced to the third table off his right. Daisy swallowed as she stared in his Piloswine's direction. Ash turned with a sinking feeling in his belly.

Plains loomed over Gore with the tip of his suddenly wicked looking curved horns pointing toward the Piloswine. _She's in his herd?_ He gnashed his teeth. _Of course, she's with Plains! Pins doesn't have the pull to make a herbivore follow him yet!_ Plains rumbled deep in his throat. Ash snapped up and strode in a near jog.

Donphan and her partner stood behind the Tauros. Plains chuffed and pawed at the ground, making Donphan croon nervously and nudge her trainer back.

Mercifully, even Gore had the sense to realize he couldn't possibly win this fight. The boar inched backward in a crouch while his tusks and chin was kept level to make clear he didn't intend to charge. The sight was almost enough to have him on his knees thanking the heavens in the middle of the feast.

Plains growled again and huffed with such force dirt flew into the air. Ash's pace slowed mid step. _Something's wrong._ Plains could be overprotective when it came to his granddaughters, adopted or by blood, but he wasn't the sort to pick fights needlessly. The scars along his body taught him to better control his temper than a young bull could ever be expected to.

A pulse of power invisible to the eye washed over him. The moment he registered it the hair on the back of his neck stood and he noticed Plains had become as still as a statue. His breathing quickened while his eyes darted to the right and the left. Pins sat with his giant head propped up on a three-fingered claw, impatient yet at ease. Amphadora was cooing something to one of her grandchildren who looked to have recently evolved. Ash's eyes darted to his partner. Gore had straightened to stand at his full height, seemingly brimming with confidence, but he had his ears twitching at every chirp or cry a Pokemon would give.

 _Is it just us? No, Plains feels it too!_ He felt like a Rattata that knew it was being watched by a powerful Noctowl or Pidgeot. _It left, no, it's not gone just receded. Should I tell someone? Should I warn-_ A hand clapped onto his shoulder lightly. Ash flinched. "Sorry about this," Oak said, smiling sheepishly, "The rut just passed, and he's still on edge."

 _That explains everything._ "It's okay," the trainer murmured. He believed Donphan and Tauros had their rut at the same time as well. Ash couldn't help but give a wince of sympathy. Plains had probably been dealing with young bulls from both species who didn't meet his standards would band together to defeat the patriarch. Gore was too obsessed with the peculiar honor many ground-types possessed to try to kill an alpha in anything less than a direct duel if he could avoid it. He didn't doubt other young males wouldn't think twice about it if it meant having children of their own.

He took a step toward his partner and wobbled. The hand that was on his shoulder steadied him. "Is something wrong?" his grandfather asked, his gray eyes sharp as they looked Ash up and down.

"Yeah, I just felt weird, that's all," he said, glancing at Plains. The bull grunted something at Donphan, who cooed in return. Plains snorted before turning to trot back to where Dora's herd sat. Sure enough, there were two new scars along the old bull's back and ribs, and even a small puncture wound on his broad chest.

"Felt something weird? Just now?" Oak said, eyeing him in a manner that reminded him of the look the professor gave Ritchie when they met. His grandfather leaned down so he was nearly level with Ash's ear. "We'll talk about this later, Ash. Believe me when I say there's nothing malicious in what you felt," he murmured. "Everyone's about ready to eat now, and I don't want to be the one responsible for delaying the ground-types' meal," the professor said, giving Pins and the assortment of predatory ground Pokemon around the Nidoking a wary look. Pins' giant ear twitched as he turned to them with narrowed eyes.

Ash turned and marched to the main table. Gore was at his heels a moment later. _No one else felt it?_ He could understand nobody noticing Gore's situation with Plains while they were getting food, but how could they not feel that strange power? It lasted for the length of a heart beat, yet it was enough to have him still on edge minutes later.

The trainer lowered himself into his seat slowly. _Grandpa felt it. He says there's nothing bad to it, and it doesn't feel bad, so I should let it go and enjoy the party…_ As terrifying as it felt, it was familiar too. _I've felt it before. I know I have._ Which made his inability to identify the source of the power even more irritating.

A quaver from beneath the table drew his attention. Willow hopped into his lap and buried her face in his chest the moment Ash looked down. _She feels it? Can the others feel it too?_ Hellfire was eyeing the rather impressive pile of shellfish a black-haired waiter was placing in front of King. The Kingler hissed at Hellfire and waved his claw. Kakuna was glaring at Gore with suspicion as the Piloswine sat in a pensive silence. _Okay, they definitely don't._ "Hellfire," Ash growled, making the Houndoom whine. "Yours is coming." He pointed at the waiter approaching them with three bowls balanced on a single hand, and another far larger bowl balanced on his other hand.

Hellfire's light brown eyes lit up as he barked joyfully. The waiter placed his bowl in front of him with a laugh, and the dog attacked it in a fervor he rarely reached in battle. Ash snorted and rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help the fond smile he gave. He found it hard to stay upset when his Houndoom was around. Gore huffed a laugh and bared his underbite in a grin while King gargled and lowered his claw.

Two small appendages wrapped around his right wrist, making Ash freeze. He looked down, to his relief it was Willow. Ash ran his hand between Willow's ears. "Mom got you lots of berries you know." _I was so caught up in my mystery I forgot her when she needed me._

He frowned as he watched his grandfather end a dispute between Tunnels and Rhyhorn with a single stern look. As always, his grandfather sat in the middle of the main table with Ash's mother to his right and Robert to his left. Even sitting the man held an air of serenity and power. _We're strong now, I'm sure of it, but I have a long road ahead before I can be like him._

A plate was placed in front of him, and the trainer's free hand inched toward his fork. It was then Ron Roberts rose from his seat. "Everyone!" he called in a voice that easily carried throughout the clearing. "Let's eat till our bellies burst!" Ash joined the deafening roar of approval with a grin.

The food prepared for the feast was something every resident of Pallet looked forward to. It was always freshly cooked when served, and it always left you full and satisfied. Ash would swear until his dying day this feast it was carved into his memory in a deeper way than any feast that had come before it, or would come after it.

As great a meal as it was, it was far from his happiest. He was usually satisfied. His childhood was over the moment he had made his resolve to leave at thirteen instead of fifteen, Ash had thought he'd long since accepted that he was an adult. As he stared at the joyful faces around him, he realized he never considered himself an adult. The trainer always thought himself a boy even after the battles he'd fought, the Pokemon he had befriended, and the sights he'd seen. Ash knew he should have been proud, he knew he should have felt that he had finally reached a key milestone in his life.

 _I should feel different. I should feel stronger, I don't. I just feel like me._ Ash sighed. He supposed it was naive to expect some big change over a meal. "Do you wanna eat something, girl?" Willow, who had kept her face planted in his chest throughout the feast, made a grumbling noise in response. "Come on now," Ash said, shifting her slightly so her front was facing his right. "Gore protected your berries." A pink eye eased open before shutting again. Ash motioned for his Piloswine to hand the bowl of assorted berries to him. The trainer frowned when he heard heavy breathing.

Ash turned. He was greeted with the sight of his partner having stuffed his nose with hardened mud. "Really? That's what it took for you not to eat it?" Ash demanded in a tone laced with disbelief. It was then he noticed Hellfire and Kakuna eyeing the small bowl in his hand. "Better eat quick before they jump us," Ash muttered, placing the bowl on the table.

"Come on, open up." The trainer held a blue Oran berry in front of Willow's face. She sniffed it for a moment, then her eyes snapped open. Ash paled slightly as he watched the Ivysaur bite the berry in half with a single bite. Biting straight through it would be a difficult feat for many regular dogs. It was disturbingly easy to forget what those canines could do. After she finished the Oran he trainer grabbed the bowl and tilted it to the side. He wasn't letting her near his fingers.

In the end, she only ate half of the berries in the bowl. Ash had only just placed it on the floor when Hellfire leaped at it like a man who hadn't seen food in two weeks. "Oh, come on! I know you can't be that hungry!" Ash snapped, glaring at the Houndoom. A string of silk hit the bowl's side before it was yanked off the ground, sending several berries into the air. Hellfire barked furiously before realizing there were treats on the ground.

A thrilled hoot made the Houndoom stiffen in horror. Aria appeared in front of the berries in a pink flash. Her arms blurred as she snatched the berries. Hellfire squeaked, then leaped into the fray. Vines extended like lightning falling to the earth and grabbed at as many berries as they could hold before retracting in a blur. "I swear there must have been battlefields less intense than this crap," Ash muttered to himself.

"I think I'd rather take my chances with the Black Fog again over getting in there," Gary said as they watched Aria and Hellfire wrestle over the last couple berries. Tunnels yipped in agreement while Janine laughed. Delia gave Ash and Gary a look sharp enough to cut before rising and marching to help gather the dirty dishes. The two flinched.

"Probably shouldn't be saying anything about that. At least not for another couple months," Ash said while putting his hat back on. Hopper cooed in agreement as she eyed Delia's back. The trainer blinked. _Did… did mom scare a Kangaskhan?_ Janine had gone slightly paler too. "We missed something big eh, Gore?" He received no response. "Gore?" Ash scoured the clearing. Only the employees of the Pallet House, Acaya's pack, and a few gossiping residents remained. Even the other former rookies, Plains, the birds, and Amphadora's herds had gone back to their homes.

"Ash," Janine called. She pointed behind him. Gore and Wave were lying on their backs with a pile of grapes in front of them. Ash's eyes widened when he saw Gore's tongue hanging out and his eyes half lidded. Wave made an odd rumbling sound before scooping another batch of grapes on his red tongue.

"Gore? Wave?" Ash glanced to his right to find Ritchie, Janine, and Gary as baffled as he was. It was then he noticed the two remaining berries beginning to roll toward the end of the platform they sat on. Grace made her way up the stairs slowly. "Grace! I thought you were with Acaya?" The vixen glared at him. "What? It's not like you were abused!" Grace hissed at him before turning to watch Aria and Hellfire wrestle over berries they would never have. Aria pinned Hellfire beneath her flame colored body, and the Vulpix popped a berry into her mouth.

Willow poked Ash's belly. "Uh, you look great," the trainer offered. A long reddish brown ear twitched in response. "Could really use your help here." Grace glanced at Wave and Gore. "Please?" The five-tailed Vulpix finished her last berry before turning toward him. She pointed at Oak's cup, then back to the grapes. _What does grandpa's drink have to do with this?_ "Gary, what was the old man drinking?"

"Wine or something," his brother replied with a shrug. _Wine? And grapes?_ He turned back to face Gore and Wave.

"Oh god, they're drunk," Ash groaned and hid his face in his hands. _Wave you are the worst role model ever._ Janine laughed while Gary blinked.

"Drunk? How could they be-" Gary froze. "Fermented grapes?" he groaned. Aria froze with her fist cocked back and her foot on Hellfire's tail. The Magmar teleported to the grapes and began scooping them into her beak. Gary and Wedge could only stare at her, then the magnet Pokemon whistled in a manner reminiscent of sighing.

"Fermented grapes? Like what makes wine?" Ritchie inquired, trying and failing to hide his twitching lips behind his hand. Rhyhorn grunted and made to stand. "You can't have any yet," the blond said, placing a hand on his Pokemon's nose. Rhyhorn whined, but quickly laid back down when Ritchie's Psyduck gave her a quelling look.

The trainer stared at his Piloswine and his grandfather's Gyarados for a moment. "King, should I know anything about those mushrooms you've been eating?" Ash asked as he turned back toward the crab Pokemon. His eyes widened, the crab was gone. Grace yipped, then pointed at behind her with a tail. "King!" The Kingler froze mid step like a Stantler that realized it was being watched by a starving Ursaring.

Gary laughed. "I can't believe you didn't know what your Pokemon was eating!" The trainer glared at his brother. Tunnels gave Gary a nervous look before turning to groom his paws a bit too enthusiastically.

"Hey Gary, what's Tunnels been eating?" Ash inquired in a light tone. Gary's forehead creased. Tunnels froze with his tongue out.

"I know what my Dugtrio eats!" Gary snapped, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh, do you? Why don't you ask him?" Ash suggested. His smile grew as Tunnels eyes darted about in search of an escape route. Tunnels began to inch toward the edge of the platform. Gary snapped down to the mole Pokemon. The trainer snickered as the Dugtrio hid behind Hopper. Gary turned to Ash with a snarl. Ash grinned back.

"Ash, don't goad him." The tone Daisy used sounded so much like their mother that he froze and Janine paled.

"A year and half later, and they've not matured at all," his mother muttered after coming to stop next to Daisy. Janine sank so low in her seat only her black ponytail was visible. _I really need to have a talk with her later._ The suspense was killing him.

"They've gotten much stronger," Daisy offered in a half-hearted tone.

"That's your defense? Really?" Ash glared at his sister. She shrugged.

Acaya came up behind his mother and whuffed. She pointed to the trees to their left. Delia hummed. "Daisy, can I borrow Pins? We need to take the tables back, and some of the Zubat are acting up. You know how they get when they smell the meat." The giant Nidoking's eyes darted around the clearing as he searched for an out.

"Of course," Daisy responded, earning her a glare from Pins. Unfortunately, the Nidoking hadn't been able to even make her flinch in years. "Dewi could you have a chat with Wave?" she requested before turning to follow their mother.

The Dewgong barked happily, then blasted a beam made up of as many colors as a rainbow at the earth. A layer of ice formed in front of Dewi. Wave's eyes sharpened and he rolled over. Dewi clapped his flippers together excitedly as he swung his neck around, making the beam create a path around the platform.

Ash's eyes narrowed. _Have a chat with Wave? While the Zubat and Golbat are waiting for the leftovers of one of the few meals Grandpa gives them a year?_ The only Pokemon his grandfather fed were the birds. The only reason the Pidgey and Spearow were fed was because they were in the corral's borders, and ended up in picking fights when they had a hard week hunting. Having an abundance of food dropped in front of them made this of the best times of year for the Zubat who lived out of the corral. Their excitement brought them to a near frenzy at times.

Pins presence was generally enough to control the bats, but Daisy liked to have the Dewgong when the bat Pokemon were fed. Dewi's Aurora Beam could restrict a flying type's wing with ease. His and Pins presence would make it certain the Golbat wouldn't act up.

Dewi slid passed Aria's unmoving form to stop next to Wave. The Dewgong leaned in as Wave leaned down. Dewi made a sound so quiet Ash couldn't tell if it could even be called a murmur. Whatever it was made his grandfather's Gyarados narrow eyes larger than Ash's head. Gore twitched and rolled to face the older Pokemon. _Did he hear it?_ Gore snorted up at Wave.

Wave hissed back and Aria flipped to her feet. The Magmar glared at the giant Gyarados who chuffed back before winding toward the road. Aria stepped toward him, but Gore cut her off with a grunt. The Piloswine roared at Wave's back and received a rumble akin to a waterfall falling upon rocks.

Aria howled as flames consumed her body. She inhaled and spat a flare of flame in Wave's direction, making Ash and Gary flinch. The fire hit the sea serpent's armor and exploded. Wave glanced back at them, and Ash understood. _It must be another challenger._ The trainer swallowed a sigh while Gary huffed. "They've not seen him in a year and a half, and he's going after two days?"

"You know it can't wait," Ash said, taking a deep breath and cupping his hands next to his mouth. "Put 'em in their place, big guy!" Wave roared back as he wound from view. The trainer smiled sheepishly when Willow hissed. Gary scoffed and ran his fingers along his necklace. Aria flopped onto her back with an irritated hoot.

"So, Janine, what rank are you in the Fuschia Gym?" Ritchie inquired as he cleared his throat.

"I'm Yellow, but I took the test before I left Fuschia. I could definitely make Silver now," Janine boasted. Ash stiffened while Willow and Grace gave Saur, Crowie, and Hopper a shocked look. Crowie puffed her chest out. The Golbat was already a couple inches above the average height for a Golbat, which was around five feet and two inches if a Golbat wanted to stand up straight. The bloodsucking Pokemon's fangs were easily over an inch and a half long, and she had a wingspan comparable to a Fearow's. She was every bit as fierce looking as the Golbat Willow, Hellfire, and Grace fought in Lavender.

"You think you could make Silver-level? And in one of the Eight Gyms? Are you sure?" Ash demanded. King came to a stop next gurgled in agreement

"Yup! I have more than two Pokemon, I beat a Silver from one of the Dark Town Gyms a few months back, and I'm the Gym Leader's favorite niece!" she said, raising a finger with each point.

Gary raised a brow. "Aren't you her only niece?"

"Beside the point!" the ninja declared with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"You could at least hide the blatant favoritism," Ritchie grumbled.

"It's called nepotism when it's toward family," Gary added in an absent tone.

 _The nerd just has to do that crap._ "There's huge gap between a Silver in a regular Gym and one of the Eight. A Silver in a weaker Gym would be a Yellow in your Aunt Aya's Gym," Ash pointed out as he tugged on the bill of his hat.

"Saur swept one guy's team," Janine responded with a beam. Ritchie regarded her with admiration, while the Psyduck gave the ninja's Ivysaur an assessing look. "Hopper beat two members of another Silver's team, and Crowie did too!" she boasted, making Hopper hide her face behind her claws and Crowie puff out her chest.

"Really? Why didn't you tell me! Could you give us some tips?" Ritchie asked

"Sure! It's my duty as a Silver from Fuschia," Janine replied.

"You don't have the promotion yet," Gary sighed.

"I'm gonna get it!"

"Thanks for the help!" Ritchie cried as he snatched up his stoic Psyduck. The blond grabbed Sparky by his nape and tugged the yelping Pikachu from his ketchup.

"That's really something-" Ash blinked. The ninja was already in the middle of an exaggerated story, judging by her wild gestures, and Gary's deadpan look. _They're not even paying me any attention. Whatever._ He turned to stare at Crowie.

 _I'd wager my hat she's not further along than King, if she's his level at all._ He'd discovered recently that King was now three inches taller and slightly broader than most adult Kingler. It wasn't huge, but it would be a notable difference if he were to stand next to them. _More noticeable than Crowie's size over the average Golbat would be._

 _Are we already at Silver Level? Or did the gap between us and her team get even bigger?_ Ash gave Saur a measuring look. Like Willow, his green skin seemed to shine as he soaked in the evening sun's rays. The Ivysaur had grown considerably since Lavender. His thick legs could have been small tree trunks and the red flower on his back had risen at least three inches. Ash estimated he now stood at four feet tall at his shoulders and weighed a little over three hundred and fifty pounds. _Good enough to be the partner of a Silver Level in the Fuschia Gym, huh?_

Mrs. Mitchell said Corey, Neesha, and Fergus were Level Two Silvers from Vermillion who had been assigned to the Viridian Gym. The three of them were all capable of pushing Sabrina. Mrs. Mitchell had laughed when he'd asked if she was including Glace. She said that Hypno would fit in with Brock or even Surge's team. _Which makes her owning us less embarrassing._

 _We beat Vivi, an Onix, and Fergus's Golem._ Admittedly, Onix and Vivi still would have won had their arrogance not gotten the better of them, and they were all holding back to avoid killing his Pokemon by mistake. _But we did it._ In under two years, they'd defeated an Onix and a Golem. It was hard for him to wrap his mind around. _I've been thinking of Silvers as Daisy or Sabrina all this time._ There was a gap there, he realized. A very large one at that.

Grace poked his leg. He started, then relaxed when he realized it was her. She pointed between him and Janine. Ash furrowed his brow.

"Hm? What's wrong?" The Vulpix shot him an unimpressed look. "Why else would you be here when you could be torturing some poor soul?" Grace narrowed her eyes, but didn't protest further. Willow made a squeaking sound that reminded her trainer of laughter. Ash smirked while the Vulpix glared at the Ivysaur.

"You see? Even Willow's not defending you," he said in a smug tone. "Now, now, no pouting. What's wrong?" Grace huffed before pointing between Gore and Saur. The Piloswine was still lying on his back and was trying to push grapes onto his tongue with a block of ice he created. Saur was grooming Eevee's back. "Yeah, he's much cooler, but Gore's ours, so we have to accept and support him. Even if it'd be nice if he was less eccentric," Ash offered with a tug of his hat. Gore glared at them in a manner that might have been intimidating if the boar's tongue wasn't still hanging out. "You know it's true," Ash uttered as he shrugged.

Grace swatted his leg again. "What?" A ball of fire appeared on two of her tails. The smaller of the balls floated in front of her. She pointed to it, then to Saur. Then she pointed to the larger ball before pointing to Gore. "He's bigger?" Grace's eyes shone as she sent the orbs soaring at his face, making Ash's eyes widen. To his relief, the fire stopped in front of his face. Then the larger orb hit the smaller orb. _Gore hits harder?_ "You think he's stronger than Saur," Ash said.

The Vulpix yipped before rubbing her temple with a paw. Ash frowned. He couldn't remember the last time they lost a match. Hellfire lost one round to the Vileplume in Viridian, but Willow put it down quickly. King beat a Pinsir with decent experience under his belt while they were all dehydrated.

Ash looked down at his Ivysaur. The pink flower on her back seemed like it should have been a green bulb. _An Ivysaur. My Ivysaur. And my Piloswine, and Kingler, and Houndoom, and five-tailed Vulpix. We're strong now._ His heart surged in his ears. They might even be able to win the Indigo League if they kept growing at this rate. He wouldn't beat Master Ace's record, but he'd still be one of three trainers to beat the League in his first season. Grace yipped in a self-satisfied manner. _You were trying to boost my confidence._ Or she wanted to brag about her strength. It was probably a bit of both.

"Grace… I never imagined you'd be so in tune with my thoughts. You're a true friend." Her eyes bulged while Willow chirped. Ash smiled as a cat might at a cornered mouse. "When we win the League, I'll make sure everyone knows how generous and loving a Pokemon you are." She inched backward. "Give me a hug!" Ash beamed and extended his arms. She bolted with a startled yelp.

He snickered. Researching the Vulpix line's fears had been a wonderful usage of the precious time he had on this earth. Willow warbled quietly. The rounded side of a claw poked his side. "Hm?" King pointed down toward Gore and Aria. Kakuna grabbed as many grapes as his mandibles could hold before rolling toward a large white ball of silk. The bug Pokemon unloaded his food into the opening in the ball, then rolled back toward the grapes.

"I guess we should tell him he doesn't need to do that anymore," Ash said, his lips quirking up. King gurgled. "Let's let him finish first," the trainer murmured. King hissed in amusement. Ash stretched and leaned back in his chair. He spent thirty minutes just watching Kakuna go about his task and half listening to the other trainer's story before sitting up straight.

"I need to talk to both of you about our next challenge," the trainer announced while stroking Willow between her ears. Hellfire lifted his head and Gore's ear twitched. "And you two too." King popped a dark eye open. "The next couple Gyms are going to be much stronger than any we've fought until now. If we fought them now, we wouldn't stand a chance." King's other eye opened.

Ash winced a bit. This would be the ugly part. "Gore, King, I can't promise you'll get a shot. Not even in the trial round." They stared at him. "You'll definitely be able to fight in one of the last three, but that's all I can promise." King gargled while Gore grunted and turned to watch Aria, Wedge, and Tunnels wrestle with Dewi. Well, they were trying to wrestle with the Dewgong. Dewi had trapped Aria under one flipper and Tunnels under the other as he held Wedge off with his tail. Ash had to give Wedge credit, the magnet Pokemon didn't give up.

"So, Vermillion is-" Ash shuddered. Eyes as red as blood and a sly smile flashed through his mind's eye. His breathing quickened while sweat developed on his brow. The trainer registered Willow's alarmed squeak before his lap became eight pounds lighter. His mind sharpened quicker than he would have believed possible in response.

"Gary!" a voice cried, but he couldn't identify it in his haze.

Once his vision focused again, he was greeted by the sight of King's glowing hammer slamming next to his leg. Ash stared wide-eyed as pebbles and dust were sent flying from the platform. King lifted his hammer into a defensive position. _Move, idiot!_ Grunting, he shoved himself to his feet.

Dewi bellowed and slapped his flippers together in challenge. Ash scoured the field twice, yet found nothing. Then the Dewgong shot a beam with as many colors as a rainbow at Janine and Saur. It flew between them, and struck a purple face that was emerging from the ground. Saur spun, wrapping his vines around the ghost and yanked with all his might. The Gengar yelped as it was thrown into the air. A silver orb, a gust of snowy wind, a rainbow-colored beam, a flare fire, a stream of purple fire, and several glowing seeds assaulted the specter and exploded.

Ash panted lightly as he stared at the cloud of smoke that sank to the earth. Dewi inhaled deeply, then he blasted a howling gust powdery snow. Gengar burst from the smoke, forcing Dewi to arch his neck after it. A whirling orb from King and another from Psyduck slammed into its face, sending it crashing to the earth. Another barrage of attacks fell upon the ghost relentlessly until Dewi barked.

"Where the hell did that come from?" Gary demanded, taking a deep breath.

"Gengar are attracted to parties and gatherings," the ninja said with a sigh, "They like to pick off people separate from groups. He must have been waiting for us to lower our guard," Janine continued as she rubbed Saur's side. "We're lucky it didn't look at Dewi seriously, if it did a couple of us would be dead." The ninja released a tremulous sigh. "I never thought I'd be grateful to the Fog," she murmured. Gary stiffened while Aria turned to level a cold look at her that made Janine wince. She turned to Gary. "Not for what happened to you-"

"He gets it!" Ash snapped. He turned from the other trainers. _Janine figured it out too._ Ash tightened his jaw. _Gengar still might have killed a couple of us humans or even Eevee if Dewi didn't realize something was wrong with me or Gary in time._

Ash shut his eyes. Gary had the problem too? It took a year for the dreams alone to end. Could his brother still have some of the Fog's residual energy within him? _Is that why his Abra was gone? It couldn't have been dead, Daisy would have told me if there was a death in the family, so it must have been given away because of the mark left the Fog._ Thanks to the other books in his grandfather's library he'd taken a peak in, he now knew interacting with an incredibly strong Pokemon left a mark on a person's energy. The mark could affect the person in a number of ways, his grandfather's book had said. Ghosts possessed incredibly negative feeling energy, and the power in their mark was believed to have driven men to madness if it wasn't removed.

Grace began to remove the Fog's residual energy from him the moment the nightmares started, but a three-tailed Vulpix's power could only go so far. _Could a Magmar even do that much?_ Aria could produce a Confuse Ray and Will-O-Wisps, which was about as much as Grace was capable of when she was a three-tailed Vulpix. Ash froze as something cold flowed down his spine like a river in winter. _What if I'm not rid of the Fog's power? I froze after feeling Gengar..._

No, the flashback he'd experienced before the Gengar attacked was different from the nightmares. Ash had been in an oddly cheerful mood after the dream he'd had of Grace's whip destroying the Fog. The trainer was certain the mark was gone. _It has to be._ Something as thick as a finger poked him between the eyes.

Willow peered up at him. His back straightened. "Sniff. Check for anymore unwanted guests," Ash ordered, crossing his arms over his chest. Hellfire whuffed before his snout took on a white glow. "Willow and Kakuna, go get Grace. I don't care what she's doing or how she fights you. Do it. Tell her I made you, if you like." The Ivysaur chirped happily, grabbed Kakuna between her vines, then jogged in the direction Grace disappeared in with the squealing bug overhead. "Guys," he said, drawing the attention of the three he'd yet to command. "Gengar like that one have gangs of weaker ghosts with them," Ash told them while pointing at the ghost Pokemon, which had been frozen to the ground.

"We're going to find them." King's eyes lit up while Hellfire whuffed happily. Gore merely stared at Gengar with something dark lurking in his gaze. "You guys want in?"

"No, we're going to get Dais, Ron, and Acaya," Gary said with a sigh. The brown-haired young man was still pale. A surge of satisfaction went through him. _I'm stronger._ Ash grimaced at the thought, and nodded.

"I'll tell the old man about this before I go," the trainer uttered, gesturing toward the trapped ghost. Dewi waved at King with a flipper while the crab raised his dominant claw. Gore snorted at Aria before the Magmar and the rest of Gary's team was consumed by a red flash.

Janine and Gary hopped on Hopper and Tunnels respectively, while Ritchie took Saur. Kakuna buzzed in confusion as he watched Sparky take to Crowie's back. The bug squeaked at King, who gurgled. "Some Pokemon don't really like Pokeballs," Ash explained. "See? Psyduck's on Saur too." The Ivysaur grunted in annoyance while Eevee climbed up his back. _Not easy being the boss_.

When they'd left their sight, Hellfire whined and pawed at the ground. "I know, I know. We'll get them in a minute," Ash told the wild dog. He turned to the lab when a hiss from his Piloswine sounded.

Ash shot Gore an inquisitive look. The Piloswine stomped insistently, making King turn to scour the area. _Vibrations?_ The Kingler stiffened and turned toward the harbor "Hellfire, Sniff!" he ordered. The Houndoom's ear shot up when he heard the alarm in his trainer's tone.

The trainer watched silently as Hellfire sniffed at the air. The Houndoom snapped to the sky. Gore was already squinting up at something by the time Ash registered the action. Then King's dominant claw wrapped Ash around his middle before the crab Pokemon spun and threw him. Ash squawked like a bitten Rattata as he flew. The trainer braced himself before he crashed into the earth on his chest and rolled.

He gasped, reaching for his sternum. _I think I felt my stomach switch places with my heart._ Ash rolled to his side, and saw a white and red ball falling to the earth in a spin. The ball began to glow white, then Gore snapped to him and blasted a silver orb. King leaped into the air with a glowing arm cocked back before the Ancient Power crashed into the earth in front of Ash and wrenched a chunk of earth into a wall. A deafening boom and a flash so bright that his vision became white.

His ears ringing, his vision spots of white and nothingness, the trainer pushed himself to his feet. Ash was forced a step back after hitting a stone taller than he was. _A boulder?_ Blinking rapidly, he guided himself around the boulder. "Guys," Ash called, swallowing harshly.

The trainer received no reply, so he stumbled beyond his shield. Ash squawked when he fell over a soft furry body. He inhaled through his mouth, and coughed _. I think I ate fur!_ The furry creature snorted something cold. "Gore!" Ash breathed with a smile. "Are the others okay?" the trainer asked, looking up. His vision still wasn't clear, but he could make out two familiar shadows wobbling toward him.

Once his vision cleared enough to make out his Pokemon he asked, "King, is your arm okay?" The crab raised his hammer arm and shook it. "Good," Ash said with a smile. He looked down to his partner. Gore had covered his eyes with hardened mud. The mud he'd used to plug his nose was now lodged in his ears. _Um, what?_ Blinking rapidly, he turned to King and Hellfire to find the Houndoom pawing at mud over his eyes.

King, who had no mud blindfold, glared at Gore between blinks. The clueless Piloswine yawned. Ash snickered. The Kingler glared at him, which only made his snickers grow. "Come on, he made a shield for you. I'm sure he would have tried to make a blindfold too if he could," the trainer offered with a smirk. King hissed. Hellfire whined as he pawed at the blindfold. "Gore take the mud off Hellfire, will you?" The swine Pokemon stayed in his position.

"I don't think they worked great," Ash told King as he pointed at the earplugs. The Kingler rolled his eyes at Gore. _At least he can walk._ If he didn't have them, Ash doubted Gore would be standing. The trainer glanced between King and Hellfire.

King turned to the dog before wrapping a claw around Hellfire and activating Metal Claw. Ash grimaced. This wouldn't be pretty for anyone involved. It was then he caught sight of someone slightly taller than the average woman moving through the trees. _Ron?_ He stiffened. Ron was at the harbor with his grandfather. Blinking, he leaned in, and saw a capital R on the shirt of a blue-haired man next to a youth with deep red hair. A tall woman with red-hair joined them.

Hellfire and King followed his vision. The crab froze when he saw the R. The fur on the back of Hellfire's fur rose and he bared his flaming fangs. Gore removed his blindfold after the temperature around them heated. The Piloswine's nostrils flared as his eyes became slits. A chill falling on one side and heat rising on the other, Ash took a step forward.

Xxxxxx

A.N.

If you don't know what the rut is, then I'll make it simple. It's hell for a zebra, bison, or buffalo daddy. Might be even worse for elephant matriarchs. Pretty sure you can guess from there.

It'll be relevant in the future. I can't wait for the carnage.

You ever really loved something, and wanted it to end at the same time? That's where I am right now.

It took me 32 chapters to introduce Silver. I planned him from the beginning and Lance hasn't even made an appearance!

The next two parts will probably top at 150,000. The Unova one, if it happens, will probably be closer to this in length. Somehow, I get the feeling the next two parts will be more than 150,000. I just can't help myself.


	35. Chapter 35

Author's note:

An updated list including Ash's team is now up on my profile.

About a week or so ago, a chihuahua my family had for seven and a half years passed away a few days ago. Rhea was a real trooper. Even when she ached so much she couldn't walk, she ate. I'll never forget watching a seven-pound, ten-inch tall dog chew so quickly her jaw blurred. She will be missed by all, save my and my mother's wallets. She wasn't even mine, but she sure as hell ate my food.

I'm very late, but I ask any religious readers to pray for Thailand and Haiti. I'm sure any donations would be appreciated too.

I also ask you to pray George R.R. Martin takes pity on his devoted base...

Congratulations to any Trump voters I have. I'm slightly happy for you. Very slightly.

I do not own Pokemon. Please support the official release. The Alolan Pokemon are rather interesting, don't you think? I think I like Alolan Marowak best. Talc's one of my favorites, so it's not that surprising.

Episode 35

Death Comes to Pallet

Xxxxxxx

"King. Gore. Hellfire is going to trap them in a Spin," Ash ordered, his eyes narrowing. "Get them close together for him." The Kingler and Piloswine stepped forward. They inhaled deeply, then Hellfire barked in alarm. Ash snapped up. A red and white ball far smaller than the one that had nearly ended their team descended from the sky above them. "Ice! At eleven o'clock!" Ash cried. Gore reared back on his hind legs and blasted a howling gust of snowy wind that sent Voltorb soaring over the trees with a whirr of panic.

A black and red streak darted from the line of trees. King swung at it with his glowing hammer, only for the Pokemon to jump over him. Ash's eyes widened in alarm as the black feline landed in a crouch behind his Kingler. King used his hammer's momentum to spin before intercepting Sneasel with a swipe from his sword. The cat squeaked, then dove from the Metal Claw that nearly removed its head from its shoulders.

Hellfire snarled, shooting a Fire Spin around Ash and lunged at the cat Pokemon. Sneasel retreated from the Houndoom's snapping jaws with Quick Attack. Ash smiled. The bipedal feline stumbled to a stop when it saw a large Kingler in its path. The crab's eyes narrowed while Sneasel's bulged after realizing it had been trapped, then Hellfire rammed King's side, knocking the crab off his feet.

An orb of fire fell where King had been standing and exploded in a spray of sparks. Ash scowled. A Growlithe stood ten yards away. James managed to get him back. Sneasel took a step in Ash's direction, and hesitated before darting to Growlie's side. Smart cat. Growlie had grown considerably since their last encounter. For a Growlithe to have three black stripes down its side and a tuft of creamy fur covering half of the dog's head meant it was now a capable member of its pack. Growlie's growth wasn't half bad for a year and a couple months, Ash was forced to admit. _Should I watch for a Golbat too?_ Mr. Fuji said they captured a Golbat from a Rocket that looked like James.

"I swear it wasn't us!" James cried, drawing Ash's attention. "A-ask the Admin! Admin Luke was in charge of the Voltorb, he can tell you he didn't give us one!" _Admin? A step down from an Executive? Why would such a big shot want us dead?_ The only strong Rockets they'd defeated were the guy with the Kingler and the young man with the Electabuzz.

"Fine. We can figure this out after completing the mission." the red headed young man turned away from James. The blue-haired man sighed as some of the color in his face returned. He found the reason for James' anxiety staring at his partner. It was closer to six feet than five and had blue plates armoring most of it. The golden-brown plates around the bug's arms also coated the side of its throat, and formed a shape like a V on its belly. _A Fossil Pokemon?_ Its appearance reminded him of his first encounter with the Rockets. They were at Grandpa Canyon, a place well known because so many fossils were found there. _Does this mean the higher ups will have Fossil Pokemon too?_

Armaldo took a step forward with a shake of its head that made the red-tipped white feathers sticking out from its neck flutter. The black pincers gave Ash pause, as did the large wings on its back. It's way too heavy to fly. Armaldo's armor was composed of stone and bone, the Fossil Pokemon had to be a few hundred pounds heavy at the least. Only draconic Pokemon flew with such bulk. _So, what use do those wings have then?_

The opening of several Pokeballs caught his ear. The redhead released a Poliwhirl and a female Hypno of average height. The Poliwhirl stood a half a foot taller than most, and the Hypno's pendulum was in its final stage. At least it still needs a pendulum. Their foe's third Pokemon was a small bear who stood on two legs and had brown fur that was as deep as Gore's eyes. Her white claws looked to be a couple inches long on the bear's chest was a light brown circle that marked her as fully grown.

 _Ursaring_. A female Ursaring at that. Grace or Willow wouldn't struggle much with a big male. A female was almost like fighting a different species. A male Ursaring hit like Nidoking, but they were only slightly faster than the average Piloswine. A female Ursaring possessed half the strength of a male, but could run fifty miles per hour. It wasn't something he could afford to underestimate. _Hypno, a Poliwhirl who would be ready for evolution soon, and a fit Ursaring? Just who the hell is this guy?_

"Poliwhirl's belly can't do anything to you anymore, but staring at Hypno's pendulum will be the last thing you do in this fight," Ash murmured. King clicked quietly. The crab was doing his best to keep an eye on the strong water-type across him while sending furtive glances in Armaldo's direction. It was the first time King had met an ocean dweller his blood didn't recognize.

Hellfire snorted lightly while matching Sneasel's crouch. Gore gave no sign of acknowledgement as he met Armaldo's glare with one of his own. The redhead eyed Ash critically before murmuring something to his Pokemon. He turned to his subordinates. "Jessie, get the plate on your own. James, send your Carnivine and Koffing with her. Oak will have left something strong here for sure," the redhead ordered.

"But, Silver-" James began.

"Shut up!" the redhead snapped. Silver gave James a glare that made the man flinch. "Can't you see he's way beyond you two? James, stay out of the fight. Your job is to make sure he doesn't come for us."

 _I'd be insulted if it wasn't true._ Ash wasn't Gary. He hadn't an issue with threatening a Rocket's life if it meant ending the battle. "Good luck, sir," Jessie said before dashing away with her Arbok and James's Carnivine and Koffing behind her.

Something golden brown glinted in the tree behind the Rockets. "Hellfire deactivate the shield," Ash commanded. The Houndoom looked at him like he lost all sense. "Do it, you'll need everything to win. Trust me." _And I won't be needing protection._ The Fire Spin lowered until it was mere flickers. A black streak made his eyes widen. "Hellfire, Ring!" the trainer barked.

The Houndoom flipped around and blasted a flare of flame that coiled around him like a snake preparing to strike. Sneasel leaped with one of its two inch claws shifting to a silver hue. Hellfire rammed his glowing horns into the cat's belly, sending it soaring through the air. The moment his front paws landed, the Houndoom was in pursuit. Sneasel forced itself to its feet, only to be rammed into the air again.

"Ursa, get Night!" Silver commanded.

"Hellfire, stop!" The dog skidded to a stop, then a rippling orb of water tore through the air in front of Sneasel and crashed into a tree with such force its bark was blasted off. _Holy shit. A Water Pulse like that from an Ursaring?_ The female Ursaring sprinted to shield Sneasel with her body, then Ursa stood on her hind legs and roared at the Houndoom. Hellfire lowered himself to the ground as he took a few cautious steps back. Ash scowled when he saw Sneasel rising to its feet. "Hellfire, remember your days with Hellfang's pack," Ash ordered while turning to King's fight. He received an understanding whuff that nearly made him sigh in relief.

"Whirl, go with Wolf," Silver ordered. The Poliwhirl croaked unhappily as it crouched. Wolf? A strategy that relies on endurance? Its feet glowed white while it dashed at King. The Kingler responded with three small concentrated streams of water that the frog wove around with ease. King's eyes lit up when it rolled under the last shot. The crab blasted a widespread burst of bubbles so close together they appeared to be harmless foam, making Ash's eyes widen. _A Bubble that doesn't focus on power? A Bubble trap?_

Poliwhirl shrieked while its legs were knocked out from under it, but it caught itself on its hands. King spat a gust chilly at the foam, which turned the bubbles into an icy prison. Nice, King! "Don't let it recover! Finish it with Vice!" King chirped and charged with his dominant claw leading.

Shrieking frantically, the frog tugged at its limbs. It only succeeded in creating small cracks in its prison. "Water Gun! On the ice!" Silver barked, his pale complexion growing even more so. Whirl inhaled so deeply its expanded throat looked like it had a Voltorb in it, while King's claw opened to ensnare it. The torrent of water Poliwhirl spat crashed into the ice and shot in every direction. The sudden rush of water forced King to anchor himself on his sharpened sword while the ice around Poliwhirl's hands finally gave.

Poliwhirl cocked an arm back in a familiar stance as a whirling orb formed above its palm. King took the attack head on, holding his hammer in front of him like a shield and shoved his sword into the ice. A terrible shriek akin to metal being scraped came from the ice as the crab was sent sliding back, making all the humans wince. King wrenched his smaller claw from the earth before leaning back as far as he could with the flat of his sword propping him up. The crab hissed and shoved the whirling orb into the air above him.

Poliwhirl shot a concentrated stream at King's belly, drawing a pained hiss from the crab Pokemon. King blasted a spurt of bubbles into the Poliwhirl's belly that ripped its feet from the ice and sent it skidding back. _This fight's going to drag on. Damn it._ Hellfire had interpreted his order perfectly, the wild dog was using his flames to hound his opponents, while not truly engaging them so they couldn't assist their comrades. _Hellfire's getting the hardest fight here, but everyone's getting pressed. I have to figure out a way to get Sneasel out of the picture before it gets past Hellfire's armor._

He couldn't even see Gore, though he was certain his partner was still fighting because he could hear the bellows and hisses the Piloswine and his foe gave as they exchanged blows somewhere behind the trees. _Where's the Hypno?_

A stone the size of a man's head rose from the earth like it was gripped by an invisible hand. Then it soared across the clearing at a speed too great for Ash to utter a warning. Thin streaks wrenched Hellfire to the ground, making him squawk and the stone fly over him. Ursa flipped to her right. Two seeds crashed into her belly and exploded, making the bear backpedal with a pained cry.

Ash grinned as Willow retracted her vines. Sneasel shot at the dinosaur with its claws glowing and teeth bared. Purple fire landed between the cat and dinosaur. Sneasel stumbled to a stop, and the flames moved like a serpent winding to form a ring around it. The Fire Spin flared at all sides before moving to envelop the cat. Sneasel spat a glob of snow on a portion of the shield. It dashed to freedom, the purple fire was quick to pursue Sneasel through the air.

A wave of pink energy crashed into the flame's side, dispersing it. Hypno waved her claw toward a tree near Willow, launching another wave of pink energy. Willow's vines slapped the psychic wave, forcing it to shatter. Hypno's large black eyes shifted pink as it regarded the Ivysaur, who pawed at the ground in response.

Hypno's abilities make her a great supporting Pokemon. The Pokemon with the best supporting ability in my team is Grace. Grace's leg isn't fully healed yet, so she's limited to mainly mid ranged moves. If Willow beats Hypno before Kakuna gets involved, we win for sure! The trainer drew breath to command when a pained shriek came from behind his grandfather's lab. Ash smirked. _You didn't really think the lab's guard was weak, did you?_

Silver cursed. "Myza!" he called as he rushed toward the lab. The Hypno sent another pink wave at Willow before sprinting to her trainer.

"Wait! What about this!" James cried, gesturing to the battle.

Silver threw three Pokeballs at him. "My Pokemon can handle it!"

"Damn it!" Ash scoured the field. The battle had only begun moments ago. There wasn't a way to finish them quickly without his Pokemon risking their lives. _And Silver's team is trained well enough to not need any instruction…_

He looked to King again. The Kingler's foe refused to allow him near it, it was pestering him with small shots of water and forcing him to stay with it. _Like a wolf or wild dog hunting_. It wasn't trying to bring him down alone, it wanted to keep King occupied until another team member could finish him. "Willow to me!" Ash called as he chased after Silver. The saurian Pokemon was cut off by Ursa until Hellfire rammed the bear's rib cage.

Growlie charged the dinosaur's flank with flames wreathing him. Willow kept her eyes forward while a vine struck the Growlithe between his eyes, making the dog trip and tumble before a seed landed on him and sprouted vines. "Don't let him follow us!" King chirped in response.

They wound around the corner. A roar reminiscent of hail falling upon stone made Willow's ears perk up. _Gore moved this way too?_ Gritting his teeth, the trainer fell into a sprint as they ran along the back of the laboratory. He slid to a stop and panted. Fifteen yards in front of the lab and ten yards to the left was the hatchery. Jessie's Arbok hissed and displayed its chest, but its foe was unmoved.

A Nidorina stood in front of the hatchery with her fangs bared. Small pins usually kept beneath her light blue hide had emerged to join the large spikes along her back. _Mr. Brown's Nidorina?_ It had to be his. His grandfather's assistant was the sole trainer working on the corral with a Nido.

Koffing had a slash running down the center of its circular body. The purple Pokemon wheezed while keeping its eyes locked on Nidorina. Ash scoured the area. _Where did Silver go?_ The trainer crept back to the lab's side. He needed the whole picture before he intervened.

Jessie's Arbok spat a needle of poison that Nidorina swiped away before barking, shooting a wave of white energy at the snake and Koffing. Arbok activated the white sheen of Harden, then the blast crashed into the snake and drew a pained hiss. Nidorina leaped onto Arbok and bit the side of its face with fangs coated with black energy.

Arbok shrieked and flailed mightily as Nidorina shook her head as hard as she could. Koffing puffed its chest out and blasting a ball of fire. Nidorina unclenched her jaw and pushed off the cobra's chest. "Winder!" Jessie cried as the ball of flame crashed into Arbok's chest. Koffing flinched, giving Nidorina enough time to bark another white wave of energy at it.

Ash stared wide-eyed. _Since when can she fight like this?_ He'd seen Mr. Brown's Nidorina cry after tripping over a rock. Shrieks of pain drew him back to the fight to see Nidorina slashing at a pinned Koffing. "Willow, Sleep!" Ash ordered. "Get back Nidorina!" The blue Pokemon glanced at him, then leaped away from its victim. A spray of green dust enveloped Koffing as it struggled to lift itself, making the Pokemon sink with lidded eyes. A Headbutt from Nidorina put the purple Pokemon out of the fight.

"You again!" Jessie snarled, reaching for her belt. One of Willow's vines lashed out, only to be slapped away by the Arbok's tail. Winder hissed and displayed his belly. Willow gave a low hum as she squared herself to take the cobra more seriously.

 _It still wants to fight? After being thrashed by Nidorina? These Rockets, they've truly-_ Nidorina turned to them and spat a stream of mud before a sharp pain erupted from Ash's shoulder. Something living, pulsing, grew from the projectile's side, and the agony robbed his awareness of anything else. What? His breathing quickening, he looked down to find a piece of wood sticking out from his shoulder.

A furious bellow sounded from behind him as he felt Willow move. Blinking, the trainer gripped the stick and tugged lightly, making the wood rip through flesh on its way out. He released it with a sharp inhale and his vision watering. Ash wiped the useless tears while turning to face his attacker. A green haired, green-eyed man in a white suit with a red capital R over his shirt pocket. "The Nidorina kept it from your neck, did she?" the man observed, which caused Ash to sweat. _I was that close to dying, and I didn't even know it._

"Admin Luke!" Jessie breathed.

Willow bared her canines at the Rocket. The Admin raised a brow. "It's better this way. I'd prefer defeating you face to face anyway. And this time, I'll be using more than just one member of my personal team." The man released a golden bipedal feline Pokemon with a black stripe the shape of a bolt of lightning running down its chest, and two antennas. It was an Electabuzz. It stood at the height of an adult member of its species, which was just under four feet. Willow's eyes widened in alarm when the Electabuzz turned to bared its large fangs at her. _It's not big, but size doesn't always indicate a Pokemon's strength. I'm getting a bad feeling from that thing._

"You're the second guy we fought in Lavender," Ash said, his eyes widening. _Archer boasted his brothers killed at least ten of the Celadon Gym's Pokemon, I think._ High cheek bones, cultured tones, green hair and eyes to match. "You're Archer's brother," he declared as he gave his surroundings a cursory glance. Gore was fighting an odd white Pokemon with green claws the color of Willow and Saur's vines. It was big, but he didn't have time to note anything else about it.

"You. Jaime. Deal with the Nidorina," the Rocket Admin ordered. "The boy is mine."

"Yessir!" Jessie cried while reaching for her trainer's belt. Her Lickitung appeared in a scarlet flash.

"One lick and its over," Ash murmured. Both of Nidorina's rabbit like ears twitched. Good. Willow crouched as Electabuzz took a few steps from its trainer. "This cat here has telekinetic and barrier techniques. He almost beat Gary a year back," the trainer uttered quietly. "Go with-"

It was then he noticed the claw beginning to slowly emerge from the earth next to Electabuzz. Horror struck him while Willow quavered as a giant horn attached to a gray snout sniffed at the air. The snout wiggled, and orange pads surfaced, followed by a gray head with small eyes. A cold hand clenched his heart. A bull Rhyperior. The evolved form of Rhydon was a foe they'd need their entire team to deal with.

The rhinoceros bellowed and shook his shoulders to dislodge the dirt gathered there as he rose. Nidorina's ears fell and her shoulders sank while Winder and Lickitung eyed the new arrival in reverence. Even the sounds of Gore and the odd Pokemon's struggle had come to an end with Rhyperior's appearance.

"I don't need your help," Luke declared, his green eyes sharpened as they narrowed, "My brother needs you far more than I." Rhyperior grunted before glancing to his side with disinterest. A brown and white body slammed into the side of the ground-type's ribs, making the giant's left hoof lift into the air. Luke's eyes went wide while Ash felt his heart freeze.

Rhyperior's red eyes flashed before he buried the stone blade on his elbow into the side of Gore's rib cage. He yanked it out, revealing half the stone to have been painted with blood. Ash inhaled sharply as he watched the precious liquid drip from the blade. The giant waved an arm, creating a platform beneath the Piloswine. Rhyperior flicked his wrist, moving the platform so it came to a stop in front of Ash.

Willow howled, her pink flower lighting up with her fury. She stomped her front feet before shooting three seeds at the giant. Rhyperior swung his trunk of an arm in a lazy arc, sending a chunk of the pillar to detonate the seeds prematurely and creating a cloud of dust that obscured Rhyperior's upper body. The Ivysaur's vines lashed out through the smoke, creating an audible crack upon impact with Rhyperior's head. Ash felt the hope welling up shatter when Rhyperior grabbed one of her vines.

Rhyperior flicked his wrist, and the shrieking dinosaur was slung toward the giant. Rhyperior swiped with the blade on his free arm while Willow wrapped her other vine around his larger horn. She yanked herself above the blade, throwing her over Rhyperior's head. Willow blasted three seeds that detonated against the back of the giant's head. Rhyperior grunted as he stumbled before yanking the dinosaur down by her vine and releasing it. Ash covered his face with his arms as Willow collided with the Hatchery's wall and shot through it.

Then, Rhyperior turned to Ash and Nidorina. The trainer clenched his jaw to the point of pain. _There's no one else left. It's really over for us._ "Nidorina, run, now," the trainer ordered. He wanted to flee as well. Ash wanted it so badly his legs inched backward without instruction. But I can't leave them. If we die, it has to be together. Nidorina whimpered as she glanced back at the hole in the hatchery's wall. Ash clenched his fists. A Nidorina couldn't abandon her charges. _Think! Think! There's always something!_

Their foe snorted and ripped a stone from the ground. The stone split in two before floating towards the head-sized holes in Rhyperior's claws. Ash gulped. He's not even loading it quickly. Why would he? They couldn't escape, Rhyperior knew that as well as Ash and Nidorina did. The muscles in the giant's arms tensed, and Ash could hear his heart pounding in his ears. Nidorina shut her eyes. Ash did the same.

A spray of dust hitting his face made him flinch. _Huh?_ A weight that made the ground shake landed next to him with a bellow. "Plains!" Ash exhaled as if the arrival had taken an immense load from his shoulders. The bull Tauros snorted while keeping his eyes locked on the Rhyperior.

"They're not hurt too badly, Ash," Oak called from behind him. He turned to find his grandfather striding to him with a dark-skinned man of average height by his side. "Don't turn your back on the enemy!" Oak chided, making Ash and Nidorina flinch. The professor came to a stop next to Ash. "I haven't seen you since you were a Rhydon," Oak uttered, smiling at Rhyperior. "I see the arrogance of youth has yet to fade," the gray-eyed professor continued while glancing at Gore.

 _Arrogance of youth? He didn't hit them hard enough to kill them?_ Ash turned to his partner. A quarter of the boar's side was covered in blood, but the Piloswine's eyes had fluttered open to glare at Rhyperior. The stab wasn't deep enough to do more than stun him. The relief he felt at that made his heart soar. Ash smirked when he heard something rustle behind him. _Willow's conscious too._

The red-eyed beast bared his canines and growled. Plains lowered his head and bellowed a warning that prompted a twitch from Rhyperior. Hoped welled up in Ash's chest. Grandpa stepped aside because Agatha was a superior politician, not because he couldn't take the physical aspects of the job. Oak and Bruno were by far the strongest Champions of Indigo since Dreyfus. Rhyperior mightn't be able to win even with Electabuzz giving support. He and Willow wouldn't be letting that happen.

The white and green Pokemon moved in front of a sweating Luke. It was likely over seven feet tall, though it was hard to tell with how it crouched upon meeting Plains eyes, at least four feet wide, and had limbs thicker than Ash himself. The Pokemon's hands and lower legs resembled green branches while the rest of its hide reminded him of the layers of snow that engulfed a mountain in the deepest part of winter. _This thing is… Abomasnow? The same species as the legendary Lily of Sinnoh? If that thing was at Lavender we'd not have stood a chance. Ash clenched his jaw._

Plains's ear twitched while Rhyperior snorted. _They hear something?_ Mr. Brown walked to the professor's side with Nidorina at his heels. "What now then? Even if you could get passed us, we would stall you long enough for the rest of the Professor's team to catch you," Mr. Brown said in an even tone. Jessie, Lickitung, and Winder inched back while eyeing the hatchery.

Luke hesitated, throwing a glance at Rhyperior. It was then Abomasnow glanced at the hatchery's roof, making Ash freeze. _Jessie had Lickitung, Winder, the Koffing was recalled, shouldn't there be a fourth one?_

The explosion of a Seed Bomb and Gore's cry of pain, drew a flinch from Ash. The giant ground-type's right arm blurred before a wave of stone ten feet wide and taller than the Abomasnow emerged from the earth in front of Rhyperior. Plains stomped a hoof, creating a shock wave that split the earth beneath it and stopped the stone's advance. Rhyperior roared and the wave broke into three boulders. Thinking quickly, Plains angled his neck and fired a gray blast around the stones at the giant's head. Rhyperior shifted his hoof and a chunk of one boulder took the shot for him, obscuring the giant's top half from sight.

Mr. Brown cried out when Oak grabbed him by his collar. The professor spun his assistant into Ash, throwing them both to the ground. The trainer hit the earth with a squawk. A sound similar to a stone hitting gravel sounded, and Rhyperior roared in agony. Ash blinked to refocus his vision before pushing himself up on an elbow. "Bolt!" Luke barked. Electabuzz shot a bolt of lightning from its antenna with a howl. The bolt hit the bull, drawing an annoyed grunt and a twitch. Rhyperior shoved himself to his feet before loading one of his cannons. Plains bellowed a freezing wind that consumed Rhyperior's upper body before the bull swung his neck at the electric cat. Electabuzz squeaked in a manner that better suited a Meowth as it darted away from the wind

Abomasnow roared furiously, yanking Nidorina off his head. It glowered at the squeaking female before throwing her at one of the boulders Rhyperior had abandoned. It glared at her as as a stake emerged from its maw. "Rie!" Oak's assistant cried, reaching for his trainer's belt.

"Willow!" Ash shouted. Abomasnow launched its attack, then green whips shoved the Nidorina out of the stake's path. The white Pokemon flipped around and was greeted by a purple blob soaring towards it. Abomasnow puffed a small burst of snow into the poison's path before inhaling deeply and blasting a howling gust of wind at Willow. The dinosaur squeaked, scrambling back behind the hatchery's wall. Abomasnow howled in agony as another batch of poison fell upon its back, melting through its white hide. It roared and spun to face Rie, but Mr. Brown recalled her before it could finish the Nidorina.

Ash cried out when another tremor wracked the earth and knocked his elbow out from beneath him. Mr. Brown stiffened, prompting Ash to sit up. Their foe stood alone, which sent him into a panic until he realized Willow was pushing herself to her feet a few yards away. _It isn't looking at her?_ Ash followed Abomasnow eyes to find his grandfather applying pressure to a red patch on his thigh.

Abomasnow's glanced at Plains' then to Oak's back. A chill seeped into his veins. _It couldn't be thinking of..._ The tip of a brown stake inched to the edge of his maw. The trainer flinched, pushing himself up on an elbow. "Hit it!" Ash screamed. Willow's vines stuck out as the stake flew. Ash reached as far as his arm could stretch. But the stake still pierced his grandfather's back. Oak froze, and the trainer hoped he would laugh the injury away as he had when he'd sprained his wrist, then his grandfather sank to his knees. Ash stared for the longest moment of his life before Oak fell.

A roar with the force of a herd's stampede sounded before Plains surged at Abomasnow with his horns glowing and head lowered. A stone larger than a man crashed into the bull's side, sending Plains skidding several yards and allowing Rhyperior to move in front of Abomasnow. "PROFESSOR!" his grandfather's assistant screamed. Ash flinched, rolling to his feet and racing to his grandfather's side. Gore was already there, sniffing at Oak's back when Ash slid to a stop. The trainer lifted his grandfather with a grunt before he rolled him over.

Ash felt his blood freeze when he realized the stake had run his grandfather through. The professor's half-lidded gray eyes stared ahead without purpose. The trainer's heart began to pound as his hand fell to the stake buried in Oak's chest. A seed landed between lifeless gray-eyes and glowed while Willow slid to a stop next to Ash. The trainer shook with anticipation. That's right, she can heal now! The saurian shut her eyes as the seed began to glow. Ash's eyes scoured the professor's face in search for a sign of life and found none. The trainer placed his index and middle fingers against his grandfather's throat, searching for the precious pump of a heart's beat.

His breathing quickened and his head swam. _No. This isn't real. It can't be real. You can't be killed by the partner of a common thief!_ Vines wrapped around his shoulders in a hug while Gore sank to the ground in a heap. Ash ignored them.

"Ash!" Mr. Brown cried, sliding to a stop next to them. The trainer realized he was shaking Oak. _No, not grandpa, it's just a body..._ A numb feeling overcame him. "Ash we have to go," his grandfather's assistant told him with tears streaming down his face and his shoulders shaking, "The professor, he- he was a great man, but we have to go!" Willow tugged at his shoulder firmly and sent another vine to tug on Gore, who refused to move.

"No." The assistant froze. The trainer lowered Oak's head and stood. His chest began to heat as the jewel in his necklace lit up.

"Ash! The professor-"

No," Ash snarled as he turned to level a glare at Abomasnow. The jewel's light shone through his shirt. He clinched his fists. "Before being a professor or a former Champion, this old man was my grandfather!" Ash's eyes became slits as his nostrils flared. The temperature fell lower than any he'd ever felt while Willow's flower shifted to the vibrant golden hue of a mastered Solarbeam. _And we're going to avenge him._


	36. Chapter 36

A.N.

Fidel Castro passed away a few days ago. I'm not even going to touch the man's legacy here. I advise you not to debate it with people on both sides of that argument. Just trust me here.

To my guest: Does it really surprise you I would off him? I've already given a thirteen year-old boy year long nightmares that made him see his loved ones die repeatedly.

I don't own Pokemon. I do own the new Pokemon Moon. If I'd stop restarting every five seconds because I want the other starter I'd be doing great.

Episode 36

The Flower and the Fang

XXXX

 _An Abomasnow next, huh?_ The Rocket narrowed his silver eyes. This wasn't an enemy they could afford to underestimate. _Wait, doesn't Admin Luke have an Abomasnow?_ He sighed in relief. Jira placed a claw on Silver's shoulder. He looked up at the shellfish Pokemon. The Armaldo pointed to the overturned trees several yards away from the Admin's Abomasnow.

A bellow that reminded him of the roar that shook the earth moments ago came from the direction of the trees. Another bellow, just as deep, yet half as fierce followed before a noise like stones grinding against one another assaulted their ears. Myza put up a small barrier on reflex. Behind the Hatchery, a feminine voice snarled when a snake gave a hiss of pain. _That's where Jessie is._ On the far side of the Hatchery, a large Pokemon was dragging what looked to be an unconscious man behind the small building.

A bolt of lightning lit up the sky before the bellow of a giant Pokemon reached him. He swallowed harshly. _That noise... And that incredibly roar from earlier sounded like it came from a Tauros! Maybe… Maybe it's just a descendant of Oak's Tauros?_ As he watched a black beam blast through several tree tops, Silver knew his hope was in his vain. "We could be killed in the crossfire if it really is a member of Oak's team," Silver murmured. Jira shoved his way past his partner and the Hypno as he trundled toward the Abomasnow."Hey-" he smothered his cry with a hand over his mouth. Myza tapped Silver's shoulder and followed the Fossil Pokemon.

Silver's eyes widened when the voice of a young man snarled. Someone's going to try to fight Luke? It must be Oak's granddaughter, or that Pokemon Hunter. Jira and Myza froze a step away from the edge of the laboratory.

Abomasnow rumbled deep in his chest as a layer of frost began to develop beneath his feet. The hair along the redhead's neck stood on end as he fought down a shudder. _The temperature shifted so quickly! They must be fighting another ice-type._ A large black fox with a single ring of gold running around its tail, ears, on its forehead, and one ring on each of the sides of its legs appeared after a scarlet flash. The Admin released another member of his team. Luke peered at his foe through narrowed eyes.

A few yards in front of the Admin stood a mass of shaggy brown fur. Frost engulfed the earth beneath him as tusks the color of ice and the deepest pair of brown eyes he'd ever seen gleamed in the setting sun, Piloswine took a step forward. It was then Silver noticed the Pokemon crouched beside the boar. It was a saurian creature the size of a small cat with a pink flower that was shifting yellow at its tip. The dinosaur's green skin seemed to shine in the weakening light. _That's an Ivysaur. A real female Ivysaur! And a well-trained one at that._

Jira blocked his path with a claw when Silver tried to get a better look at the saurian. Myza rubbed her pendulum against her fur at an astonishing rate as she glanced between the Piloswine and Ivysaur. "Myza! Around that trainer's neck!" The Hypno took her eyes off the pair with great reluctance. She froze when she saw the pendant. "That's it, isn't it?" Silver breathed while gazing at the blue shard within the pendant. His head swam. _That's a Mega Stone… A real Mega Stone of legend! And it's reacting to that trainer's Aura! No wonder the temperature dropped so quickly, it activating is as good as a temporary evolution!_

"Kill the brat and the pig. I want the Ivysaur alive and whole," the Admin ordered, prompting his Umbreon to crouch and Abomasnow to snort. The Admin's tone sent a chill down Silver's spine and made Myza tense. As he'd been warned, Luke and Proton were far more ruthless than Archer. The scowling trainer and his team didn't waver at the order.

"Don't get between them until we have to," Silver murmured. "That roar from a minute ago was definitely Oak's Tauros, if he gets involved you'll both need to use everything on his flank while he's distracted by Abomasnow. That's the only chance we have." Jira and Myza agreed quietly and Piloswine's ear twitched, though he opted not to look away from his foes.

A bolt of lightning shot into the sky in the direction of the decimated trees, then Abomasnow sucked in a giant gulp. He spat a wide gust of howling winter's wind that Piloswine matched with an Icy Wind of his own. Ivysaur lifted herself atop the swine Pokemon and fired a golden beam from her maw. Abomasnow jerked his neck up to force the Solarbeam to detonate prematurely and obscured the white giant in smoke. Piloswine blasted a silver orb at Snowman's belly. Luke's partner howled in agony as the Ancient Power blasted him off his feet.

The boar snarled before charging the downed Pokemon with a white hue wreathing him and his tusks lowered. Abomasnow rolled away from the charge, then he smashed a glowing fist into Piloswine's side that sent the boar off his hooves squealing. Piloswine quickly rolled to stand while Abomasnow shoved himself to his feet.

As the boar squared itself, the Rocket saw why a simple Mega Punch was so devastating. The reddish brown patch on the swine's side was nearly the size of Silver's head. Abomasnow lifted his right arm, revealing a raw skin that looked to have been melted off. _They must be using their ice to contain stop the bleeding._ The cracking of stone came from the direction of the overturned trees. The combatants didn't seem to hear it. The only thing they seemed aware of was the foe standing before them.

The swine's ear twitched, and the snow of his Icy Wind rose. "Ice wall to your left!" Luke barked. Abomasnow thrust its left arm up with a howl. The snow from his earlier attack rose to form a wall that blocked Piloswine's attack. The young trainer gave a malicious smile. "Wide!" The boar's eyes took on the predatory gleam lurking in his partner's gaze before he shot a spray of mud twenty feet wide. Abomasnow twitched when his lower body was spattered by the Mud Slap.

Piloswine spat a silver orb into the earth, wrenching a boulder larger than a man up. The boar bellow, blasting the stone at his foe. Abomasnow ducked beneath the attack and spat a seed in response. The Seed Bomb detonated on the boar's face, drawing a squeal that appeared to have been as much in fury as in pain. Snapping back to the battle with a snarl Piloswine blasted a silver orb at the crouched Abomasnow.

The white giant made to flee, only to find the mud on his feet to have hardened. Abomasnow ground its teeth while thrusting an arm out at the Ancient Power. The orb exploded, forcing a pained hiss from the white Pokemon and covering his upper body in smoke. Silver inhaled through his nose sharply when he realized what happened. Sensing the same opportunity, Piloswine did what his ancestors had done since the time of the dinosaurs; he charged.

"Punch the mud and jump to your left!" Luke roared. His partner responded immediately. The giant's uninjured fist smashed his left foot before Abomasnow leaped with all the might of his right leg. Piloswine grunted, stomping to a stop, then lunged at the rising giant. Luke's partner managed to sidestep the boar's Take Down, but the swine's tusks caught the side of Abomasnow's belly with a jerk of his neck.

Seeing his foe backpedaling in Luke's direction while clutching his wound, Piloswine lowered himself for another charge. "Don't follow!" the boar's raven-haired trainer cautioned as he took a few steps back. Luke, who had already distanced himself from Abomasnow scowled deeply. The white giant was unperturbed. Abomasnow lowered his injured arm, allowing the blade of ice he'd hidden in his injured palm to fall to the earth.

Silver narrowed his eyes as he stared at Luke's foe. _Piloswine used the mud to trap Abomasnow, then obscured his vision before trying to gore him with those tusks. A Piloswine came up with that? No, he might be full size but he's probably only ten. It's impossible for such a young boar to come up with that mid battle. Which must mean that Piloswine knew what his trainer wanted him to do from the moment he heard his command!_

That kind of teamwork and a boost from the Mega Stone? The battle would be a long one even with their prior wounds. Duels between boar Piloswine had been known to last for twelve hours, and there were legends of roars from Abomasnow echoing across mountains throughout an entire night. _Pilo_ _swine duels are restricted to fang and physical moves alone, so maybe this can be settled soon._ As Piloswine pawed at the ground while Abomasnow bared his canines, Silver realized it was wishful thinking.

Ivysaur and Umbreon were the ones who would decide this battle. Myza seemed to know it too. Her eyes were locked on the little dinosaur as Ivysaur's ears twitched. "Wait! Where's Umbreon?" Silver whispered, his red hair shaking as he scoured the field. Jira clicked before pointing at the ground.

Ivysaur whirled around and sprinted to her trainer. The trainer hit his knees before Umbreon swiped at where his neck had been. Ivysaur rammed the fox Pokemon with Take Down, sending it tumbling back end over end. The moment the saurian landed, she blasted a single seed at her rising opponent. Umbreon rolled out of the seed's path, making it collide with the ground a couple yards behind the fox. Silver flinched when dust and pebbles were dislodged by the Seed Bomb's burst.

Umbreon snarled and fired a black beam that Ivysaur dashed around, then the little dinosaur rammed the fox Pokemon in a Take Down, forcing Luke's Pokemon onto its side as it skidded away. Ivysaur whipped the downed Umbreon's side, creating angry red streaks and drawing a yelp of pain. The fox's eyes snapped open and a feral glint appeared within them as it fired a pink wave from the yellow ring on its forehead. The dinosaur squeaked while her pink eyes widened until they resembled small plates, before the psychic energy threw her off her feet.

The fox howled, its yellow rings lighting up, as a black energy developed in its maw. "Willow, up!" the dinosaur's trainer snarled. Ivysaur's vines shot out to her sides while Umbreon blasted its Dark Pulse. Willow threw herself into the air, making the black beam carve into the earth. Umbreon jerked its neck around to sever her vines, which drew a shriek from the airborne dinosaur.

Umbreon's tail took on a metallic sheen as it surged forward. Willow spat three seeds before she crashed in a heap. Umbreon slid to a stop, narrowly avoiding being caught in the trio of seeds' explosions, and covering the dinosaur in a small cloud of dust. A vine shot like a snake making a kill and wrapped around one of Umbreon's legs before yanking the limb out from underneath the fox Pokemon. Another whip slapped the fox's ribs thrice, drawing a yelp from Umbreon before it took on a white sheen and leaped back. The fox panted while the Ivysaur cleared the lingering dust with a few waves of her vines.

 _Clever girl, she already knew what move would be best to use the moment Umbreon lost its vision. The other members of that guy's team are easily some of the strongest I've met, but I get the feeling Piloswine and this Ivysaur were at a higher level even without the Mega Stone's boost._ It was the first time he'd met someone his age he wasn't sure he could defeat.

Silver shut his eyes and took a deep breath. Proton wouldn't forgive him if he didn't capture the Ivysaur. It was a shame they'd not get the chance to grow with their trainer further. This team could have been a truly worthy rival for his own. "Jira, grab her legs." A trainer of this quality deserved to be defeated in a proper battle with his team by his side, but Silver supposed this was the nature of war. Victory had to come before honor.

The Armaldo gave Piloswine an unreadable look and snapped his pincers open. The black tips gleamed in sunlight as brought them level to his chest. Myza stepped forward. She stared at Ivysaur for a moment, then raised a claw while Jira lowered his pincers slowly and sent Silver an uncertain look. _She couldn't possibly be considering warning Ivysaur, could she?_ "We need her intact, so she'll make sure Ivysaur is in a good position for you," he offered, peering at his Hypno. His worries were put to the rest when the Hypno's eyes shifted pink.

Jira's claws opened again, and Silver steeled his resolve.

XXXX


	37. Chapter 37

Sometimes I think I should have gone with a Charmander or a Riolu… But then I wouldn't be able to make ham and shaving jokes, so I'm glad I stuck with the pig. 2016 beat the crap out of me, but here's the final episode. The author's note at the end is actually somewhat important. Please look at it.

I don't own Pokemon.

Episode 37

The Fang of Winter

XXX

The dinosaur's yelp of pain made the trainer flinch and his Piloswine's eyes dart toward his injured friend. Abomasnow's eyes lit up as he cocked an arm back. "Stay focused!" the trainer snapped at his partner. The Piloswine whirled back around while spitting a gust of wind. Abomasnow flinched, making his blow soar above the crouching boar before the giant backpedaled from a jab of icy tusks.

 _Abomasnow is being pushed this much?_ "Pour as much energy as you can into the Hypnosis," Silver ordered. Jira retracted his claws slowly, dragging Willow along with them. The Ivysaur sent her vines out to grab an anchor, but Umbreon was there to bat them away. Myza floated her pendulum in front of Ivysaur's eyes. Pink eyes widened in alarm, then began to droop as though holding her eyelids up took a great effort.

"Seed Bomb from your flower!" A tiny seed shot out of the pink flower before crashing into the hatchery's wall. It exploded, making Willow's eyes snap open. _Damn him! He interrupted the Hypnosis with sound!?_ Myza recalled her pendulum with a flick of her wrist while Jira tightened his grip on the Ivysaur's hind legs to the point of drawing blood, which drew a wince. "Reflect, Myza!"

"Mist!" Luke ordered.

Jira, yank her in!" Silver commanded.

"Sleep!" the trainer snapped. The Ivysaur pushed against the ground with a vine so that her flower was pointed toward Silver's team. Jira took a step back as his claws released Willow.

"Widen!" Silver countered. Myza expanded her barrier to engulf the three of them. The Ivysaur landed on the barrier on all fours, making Myza and Silver's eyes widen. His partner raised a claw while Myza made the portion of the barrier over the Armaldo dissolve. Willow leaped away from the appendage with a startled squawk. Jira spat a stream of concentrated water into her side, sending the saurian spinning end over end shrieking. "Instinct!" A silver orb hit the ground beneath her before she crashed. Rather than the crack he expected, Willow sank into the place she landed.

 _What?_ "Focus the barrier on our left and shoot it out!" Silver barked. The Hypno waved her claw, shifting the energy of the Reflect to their left. It shot out before it was hammered by a howling gust of wind. The Reflect cracked, Jira pulled Silver behind him, then the cold fell upon them. The Hypno shrieked as the icy wind washed over her. She wilted beneath the cold's onslaught. A roar akin to the Icy Wind's howl sounded, then the Piloswine rammed Myza's side and threw her yards through the air. She landed in front of the Hatchery with a thud. The Hypno gave no cry of pain. Silver's world froze until Jira shrieked.

Piloswine snapped to the Armaldo with reflexes as sharp as the Ivysaur's, though he was still too big to dodge the silver orb Jira blasted at him. The boar grunted as he was forced onto his injured side. Jira's gaze took on a dark glint as he fired a pincer at the boar's vulnerable throat. A seed fell upon the outstretched limb and exploded, making Silver recoil and Jira shriek. The Armaldo retracted his limb with his pincer no longer attached to it. _Ivysaur! Where the hell is Umbreon?_

Piloswine rolled to stand before a blade of ice was planted where his throat was. Abomasnow strode to stand across the boar with his left side facing his foe, so as to provide a smaller target. Gore took a few steps to the left to create space between himself and the Hatchery. "Jira," Silver whispered as he recalled Myza. The Armaldo glanced down at him. The redheaded Rocket pointed to Ivysaur who looked to be searching for Umbreon. She must have been frustrated. She was at Abomasnow's back, but was unable to assist her teammate without finishing Umbreon. _Now's our chance._ Jira tensed, Piloswine twitched, and the Rocket knew what was coming.

The Ivysaur squeaked, scrambling out of the softened sand she was in. Umbreon exploded from the earth and swiped at the saurian with a silver tail that Willow barely avoided. A vine lashed out, slashing the fox Pokemon across her eye. Umbreon howled while instinctively releasing the lunar energy she'd stored to close the wound. Her rings took on a deep golden hue as the wound began to close. The Ivysaur whipped at Umbreon's left flank, which the vixen leaped over comfortably. Willow angled her pink flower and shot green dust at her foe. Umbreon barked, blasting a black wave of energy that dispersed the cloud. The Ivysaur moved back a step, making the Snarl to detonate harmlessly before blasting several glowing seeds faster too at Umbreon's chest. The vixen sidestepped two of the projectiles, and clenched her jaw as she weathered the last three Bullet Seeds. Silver could already see damp patches spreading on Umbreon's chest.

 _Her reaction to Umbreon coming out right under her wasn't fake, so she probably hasn't fought a Pokemon with Dig before. How did she decide the perfect move to use the moment she landed? She couldn't have! Which means Ivysaur must have visualized that entire exchange in the time Umbreon was underground!_ The young trainer, who had taken refuge behind a boulder, smirked.

Silver patted his partner's armored shoulder. Jira crouched before edging around Abomasnow and the Piloswine's duel. Silver grimaced when the boar took a Mega Punch to the jaw that doubtlessly made bones creak. The swine squealed as he was lifted onto his hind legs by the blow, and Abomasnow cocked another glowing fist back. Piloswine responded by bringing his front hooves down on Abomasnow's chest with a crack, throwing the roaring giant to the ground with such force his roar was cut off. The swine's tusks glowed the moment his front legs landed before he lunged at the downed beast. Abomasnow snarled and kicked Piloswine's snout with his enormous green foot, making the boar Pokemon retreat while shaking his head vigorously and growling.

Silver and Jira took several steps toward the Hatchery, but it wasn't necessary, Piloswine was entirely focused on his opponent. When they reached the Hatchery's side, Silver held up a hand. Jira opened and closed his pincers. The Rocket flattened himself against the wall. After a moment, even the sound of of his own breathing was lost to Silver as his heart began to pound in his ears again.

Willow and Umbreon crouched. They both knew a physical confrontation between Abomasnow and Piloswine's could go on for an hour at the worst. The ones who would decide this battle, perhaps even the fate of Pallet itself, would be these Pokemon. _And they both realize it._ Willow inched closer, then Umbreon barked a black wave of energy at her. The saurian raced around it with ease, only to be greeted with another Snarl that she was forced to jump over. Umbreon's yellow eyes gleamed triumphantly as the vixen exploded with the white sheen of Quick Attack surrounding her.

The Ivysaur squeaked before wrapping her vines around a branch of the tree next to the Hatchery. She yanked herself out of the attack's path, but Umbreon had predicted the move. The vixen leaped, landing on the Hatchery walls with all four paws. Umbreon blasted a thin black beam at the airborne dinosaur. Willow squeaked before yanking herself to the tree. Umbreon swung her neck around, the Ivysaur scrambled further out on her branch, which made the Dark Pulse hit the branch. The saurian squawked as her foothold was melted through. Willow glanced up at the tree, seeing no branches sturdy enough, she sent her vines to the earth to slow her fall.

Umbreon barked a black wave that swept the squeaking saurian's vines out from under her. Umbreon surged her foe with black energy engulfing her tail. One of Willow's vines darted back to the tree's trunk and shoved the Ivysaur out of the vixen's path. Umbreon skidded to a stop and looked up to find a pink flower pointing at her. A seed was fired from the flower as the vixen's eyes widened in horror.

The seed detonated, drawing a pained shriek from the vixen a moment before its master hit the ground and bounced. The trainer's eyes lit up in a predatory manner that reminded him of Piloswine when the Ivysaur flipped to her feet. Umbreon pushed herself to her feet, then a green whip slapped her left flank and drew a red line in her side. The vixen squeaked, stumbling to right herself while another vine wrapped around Umbreon midsection and yanked her to the ground. "Finish her," the trainer ordered in a tone that reminded Silver of Piloswine's icy gust.

Crouching again while yellow energy gathered at her maw, the saurian narrowed her eyes. "Ray, now!" Luke shouted, making the trainer from Pallet flinch. Umbreon's golden eyes snapped open as she blasted a ghostly orb at her foe. The Ivysaur's eyes widened in alarm.

"Shut your eyes!" the trainer snapped. Willow hurried to follow the order, but couldn't complete before the ghostly ball burst. The saurian shrieked and attempted to cover her eyes with her paws. Umbreon wriggled out of the vine wrapped around her leg and angled her mouth toward her torso. "Whip and grab!" The Ivysaur lashed out at the Umbreon's chest, hitting her paw and making her squeak. Willow's other vine joined the first around the vixen's midsection before yanking her to the ground. Yellow energy began to form in her maw again. The Ivysaur's limbs shook while her Solarbeam flickered. Silver tensed, his hand slowly lowering.

"Pulse!" Luke snapped, paling slightly. Umbreon panted and black energy formed in her maw.

"Willow, move!" the trainer screamed. Pink eyes fluttered open as a black beam was fired. The Ivysaur shifted her weight to her right side, which made the beam run along her side. Silver flinched when the beam melted into the Hatchery's wall not two yards from where they were standing. The redheaded Rocket flipped back to the fight, and sucked in a breath sharply. The portion of the Ivysaur's left flank between her flower and her legs was now a deep red. The Dark pulse had melted off her hide and cauterized a portion of the wound. Willow's eye twitched before her legs gave out. With their mistresses will to fight gone, the vines retracted.

The Piloswine froze, allowing Abomasnow to land a Mega Punch on his snout that sent the boar backpedaling. Piloswine rolled away from a Seed Bomb only to be greeted by another punch to his forehead. "Willow, don't give up! Everyone's counting on you! Come on, you've gathered more than enough energy! One last Solarbeam and Umbreon's done!" the trainer encouraged while he began to sweat.

"Umi," Luke called, making the vixen's ears perk up, "Stand up." Umbreon panted as she forced herself to her feet. She swayed for a moment, seeming as though a strong breeze could be all that was necessary to finish her, before steadying herself. Silver placed a hand on Jira's shoulder. The Armaldo lowered his pincers. _It's over now._

"A Venusaur is..." Silver and Luke snapped to the trainer, who had shut his eyes. "More than just the strongest of all the grass-types in Kanto. For millions of years, Venusaur have fought every predator that's ruled the land and sky!" Silver exhaled sharply when the Ivysaur managed to wiggle her right paw beneath herself. "The strength that allowed them to survive when even Tyrantrum died, flows through your veins! What's an Umbreon compared to that?" The vine on the saurian's right side pushed her up while the left vine steadied her.

"Umi, Ray, now!" Luke roared while reaching into his pocket. The vixen inhaled, shutting her eyes, then a ghostly orb half the size of the first formed in her mouth. The Ivysaur took a half step back. Sensing weakness, Umbreon snarled with a ferocity that sent a shiver down his spine before shooting the Confuse Ray.

The orb was dispersed with a crack as vine slapped it. Umi took a step back, her front left leg shaking with the effort of holding her. "All Gore needs to win is a single opening! Your Vine Whip is more than enough to give him that!" Panting heavily, the Ivysaur began to gather yellow energy, that began to shift to the gold of a mastered Solarbeam. Jira took a step, his breath quickening as a fear learned over a hundred million years ago consumed him. _But her last Solarbeam was yellow! The first Solarbeam was golden because the Mega Stone helps the Pokemon control their power better briefly. Now that the stone's has steadied, her control over her attacks she shouldn't be greater than normal._ Silver's blood froze. _Unless, she's mastering the move in a battle!?_

"Snarl!" The Umbreon hacked black energy that dispersed mere feet from here. Umi swayed before taking another step away from the saurian that made her injured leg buckle. "Dig!" the admin barked.

"Finish her! Solarbeam!" the trainer roared. He noted the gathered energy shone so brightly it created a large shadow beneath Willow, then the Ivysaur fired her ultimate attack. Gold engulfed the world for a moment before a thunderous crash obscured all other sound. The Rocket uncovered his eyes. Silver gaped, the impressive tree the Ivysaur climbed had been reduced to a stump. Beyond the stump, Silver found what remained of the tree's top. The tree's midsection was now little more than scattered bark and twigs.

Umi was lying on her side. Her every inhale was arduous and her exhales seemed even more of a punishment. The vixen's eyes were shut, but she had no new injuries. Silver looked to the trainer, then to Luke. The Admin sighed while their foe had paled. _What?_ Jira clicked, his breathing evening out. Willow swayed before falling on her right side. A small stake was embedded within her left flank. Yards away, Abomasnow stood with his arm still extended.

Piloswine squealed furiously as he swiped at the squawking brown birds clawing at his hide. Silver's eyes widened. _That's right! Some of the higher-ups are given flying-types in case things take a turn for the worse!_ He glanced at Luke. _He reached into his pockets after he ordered that last Confuse Ray, it must have been then._ Abomasnow eyed the dinosaur with respect. "Kill them. The boy and the Ivysaur," Luke ordered as he narrowed his green eyes. Silver recoiled while the trainer only clenched his teeth. _He's not a member of the League, or a Master, so why? Is this how the Kanto Rockets operate?_ Abomasnow reached for his maw.

 _I have to at least try!_ "Sir, Ivysaur is an incredibly rare Pokemon and she's well trained! She-"

"Will die today," the Admin interrupted in a tone that brokered no argument. The white giant procured a seed from his mouth. Willow whimpered and attempted to push herself up. Abomasnow placed it atop one of his fingers and flicked. The seed flew high before descending at the immobile dinosaur. The seed was merely feet above the Ivysaur, and the trainer was by her side scooping her up. He dove, then the seed exploded in a yellow flash. They hit the ground before skidding and rolling to a stop.

Silver exhaled heavily, his shoulders slumping. _There's no way anyone will get here in time to save them, not with Abomasnow and Luke around. If they don't just finish them now._ "Jira we're calling for an Abra. It's time to head back-" His partner froze while Abomasnow spun. Panting, the Rocket turned. Piloswine stood still as a stone while he stared at his partner and teammate. Oddly, the Pidgeotto opted to fly back instead of pressing their advantage. The boar's tusks began to glimmer beneath the evening sun. Abomasnow spat another Seed Bomb, then Piloswine gave a roar that crashed over Silver with the force of a blizzard's gust.

His bones aching while the hair on the back of his neck rose, Silver could only stare at the growing layer of frost beneath the boar's feet. The Seed Bomb neared Piloswine before a white beam shot from the boar's tusk, making the bomb detonate harmlessly. _That's Ice Fang's second function!_ Piloswine snarled and shook his massive head vigorously before taking a step forward. Abomasnow bared his teeth and matched the boar's step. "Wha-" Silver cried as an arm wrapped around his middle before darting around the two to take cover behind the boulder the trainer had used moments ago. As he dashed, Jira spat an Ancient Power into the boulder to reinforce their shield. Looking over his partner's shoulder, Silver saw Piloswine's midsection heaving, his nostrils flaring, his hooves stamping with enough force to send tremors through the earth, and his gaze utterly without reason, and understood. _It's a blood rage!_ They ducked behind the shield with Jira in front of Silver.

Abomasnow hissed and Piloswine roared before the Rocket heard the thud of two enormous bodies colliding. The vibrations of the struggle intensified as Abomasnow roared again in fury. An explosion was followed by a cloud of dust large enough to be seen over the boulder even crouched as low as he was. Ice washed over their shield as the temperature lowered to the point Silver began to shiver. Jira wrapped himself around the Rocket, to no avail. Howling gusts of wind as fierce as any hurricane's clashed. "Cowards!" Luke roared. "Come down and fight!" Abomasnow snarled, then Silver's shield exploded. The Rocket rolled before his partner fell where he'd been sitting. Coughing, he covered his eyes from the sudden burst of dust that enveloped them. Jira rolled onto his side with a wave of his pincer, making the dust clear.

The white giant gave a clumsy Mega Punch that Piloswine dodged by rearing back onto his hind legs. Abomasnow spat glowing seeds into the boar's belly, making him squeal and backpedal two steps, then Piloswine fell into a crouch that sent another clumsy Mega Punch over him. The boar's weight shifted back as Abomasnow brought a fist over his head. The boar lunged, plunging both of his icy tusks into the white giant's broad chest. Abomasnow froze, Luke screamed, and Silver's eyes widened in disbelief before a white beam shaped like an arrow burst through Abomasnow's back.

Piloswine jerked his tusks free, which dyed parts of the giant's broad chest red with his own blood. He stood there for a moment his chest heaving, his pupils returning to their natural state, and his every pant exhaling small bursts of frost. Then he turned to Luke. The Rocket Admin stared and Silver reached into his pocket as the boar advanced. Yanking the small square out, the redhead pressed its sole pink button. An Abra specifically trained to specialize in Teleportation materialized in a pink flash. _Thank you grandpa._

A shadowy orb raced toward Piloswine before exploding in his face. The boar squealed while shaking his head vigorously as he thrashed. Umbreon was by Luke's side in a flash, panting. The vixen's wounds had closed, and she looked a single blow away from unconsciousness, but she stood her ground. Luke reached into his own pocket, calling an Abra to his side. Piloswine sniffed and snarled as he turned back to Luke while blinking rapidly.

Jira fell to his knees while Abra fell as though something heavy had fallen upon him. _What the hell?_ An unseen force fell upon Silver as though gravity had intensified. Silver fell to a knee, panting. _The Fog? No, it's not as strong as hers and this doesn't feel as ominous as a ghost-type's power!_ By Luke's side, Umbreon stiffened and her legs began to shake. Piloswine snorted in a manner Silver believed was smug.

Luke paled before reaching into his pocket, doubtlessly to press the remote that would signal retreat.

"Abra," Silver panted, "Abra you've got to get up now! We need to leave immediately!" Jira snapped to him. "I gave James a square too! And told Chermaine's Whirl about it!" Jira clicked in understanding before tapping his Pokeball and being consumed by a scarlet light. A roar reminiscent of stones grinding against one another came from behind him, making Silver's Abra flip around. "We don't have time!" He shook its shoulder, but Abra ignored him. Luke swallowed while his Umbreon and the Abra by his side trembled.

Over two-hundred yards beyond the trees, stood a snake of steel. It roared as its foe rose from the bay. Silver felt a chill works its way down his spine. From the Pallet Bay, a Gyarados emerged with water falling down his blue scales like a waterfall. Steelix bared its teeth and slapped its thick tail against the earth in a warning the Gyarados paid no heed to. The steel snake inched back, then clenched its jaw. Steelix blasted a green beam from his maw. The beam crashed into the sea serpent's chest moving him back a few paces. The steel snake opened his mouth again, but didn't have the chance to attack. The Gyarados' tail blurred before a blow like a tidal wave struck Steelix's temple, sending it tumbling through several trees. Gyarados blasted the white arrow of Ice Beam into one of the steel Pokemon's joints, running it through.

The sea serpent through his head back and roared with such force the vibrations sent through the earth reach even Silver. The Pokemon of town gave a resounding cry in return as though the alpha's presence revitalized them to a degree no potion could. _Oak's Gyarados!_ "Abra," Silver breathed, reaching for the psychic. Piloswine squealed furiously as Luke and his Abra teleported to the checkpoint while Silver kneeled. Abra could only open a single eye as the Rocket placed his hand on its shoulder. He looked up to find glowing red eyes that would haunt him boring into his own red orbs. Then there was a pink flash, and the Rocket was gone.

XX

"Three of Hypno's ribs are cracked and her left humerus has a comminuted fracture," the nurse told him a tone that was far too casual for his liking. Perhaps it was to be expected, the Kanto Rockets tended to lean toward Giovanni's view of Pokemon, rather than that of Silver's great-grandfather's. "Your Ursaring has three first degree burns, and two large contusions on her chest about five inches apart. Sneasel has two first degree burns, and one second degree burns. Your Armaldo will be fine, he just needs rest."

"... I see," Silver murmured, rubbing his temple. "Thank you for your looking after them." The nurse gave him a curt nod before marching out of the room. The Rocket ran a hand through his hair as he headed to the waiting area. He nodded when he saw James and a limping Jessie exiting another room. The blue-haired man returned the gesture before offering Jessie a hand. _At least I know they're capable now._ He was pleased with the little he'd seen in Pallet, but he'd still need to intensify their training schedule.

"I'm sorry, sir, there was nothing we could do for him. The wound to his chest was too deep." Silver froze, glancing at the door he'd just walked past.

"Get out," Admin Luke snarled.

"Y-your Umbreon will need-"

"Get. Out!" Luke hissed. A small woman with brown hair burst from the room at such a speed he flinched. The redhead left the hall quickly. He wasn't eager to test Luke. _Especially after the beating his Electabuzz took._ There was a strong chance the electric cat wouldn't make it either.

"To think the Kanto Rockets had Rhyperior lose an arm, and lost Abomasnow to that Piloswine," Silver murmured. _And the last surviving member of my Father's team to that- that_ _devil_. The Rocket shivered as a chill went down his spine. _The pressure the Fog created when when we met sent Night into a panic. That pressure wasn't as heavy as hers, is she stronger?_ He bit his lip. _But we were right in front of her when that happened. Gyarados incapacitated perfectly healthy Pokemon with just his presence, even though they weren't anywhere near him!_ A shudder racked his body that made the hair on the back of his neck rising, and his breathing quicken. He fumbled at his doorknob with clammy hands. The Rocket threw himself on his bed.

 _How could we overlook that beast?_ Oak's profile described his Typhlosion in language used to define the strength of Bruno's Primeape. In comparison the Gyarados' profile was sparse. _The Gyarados' strength was described as being monstrous and enormous, but examples of his might weren't used. Just like with Hellfang._ Silver stiffened. _I was a fool to think they'd allow the public to know about that beast._ How could they tell the public there were Pokemon capable of singlehandedly razing cities protected by strong Gyms to the ground? And Hellfang always looked a bit too relaxed in his televised appearances. Silver bit his lip to the point of drawing blood. _How could I have missed the signs?_

If Silver was realizing this now, then how could Proton fail to realize it before the mission with his experience? _If_ _I don't act fast there won't be any Kanto Rockets to snatch from him!_ "Quite a fall from grace, don't you think? To go from Giovanni and the Masked Marauder to Proton," a feminine voice that sent the hair on the back of his neck standing inquired. "Say what you will of them, and I have much I'd like to say, they were more than competent."

Silver panted lightly, his hand instinctively falling to his partner's Pokeball. "What do you want?" he demanded. The Rocket didn't care how disrespectful he sounded. Death seemed a mercy if it meant being free of this dark energy. The Fog frowned, then her red eyes lit up as Myza's did when she used her powers. The heavy cold sensation within him was smothered by a lighter, warmer energy. Silver gasped and sank to his knees.

"Quite something, isn't it? To stand in such a presence," the Fog murmured. "Throughout the thousand year history of the various leagues on this continent, there have been two who have reached the pinnacle of Transcendence, one likely followed her trainer in death and the other… Well, you've met the other," she graced him a smile without mirth.

"Why didn't you warn us?" Silver panted. He tried and failed to push himself to his feet.

"Hm?" she tilted her head to the side. "You think the fool you follow didn't know? Why do you think your father challenged Hellfang and that Primeape, yet avoided that little town?" the fog inquired with a grin. He flushed. He'd never considered researching his father's strategies in the previous war. "I suppose it's not your fault you didn't know about him, not many know the truth of the Greenfield tragedy."

"You- you know what happened in Greenfield?" Silver said as his back stiffened.

"But of course. Every ruler has a way of gathering information on up and coming challengers," the fog responded. "It would be rather absurd if I didn't know of it," she added as her grin shifted into a thoughtful frown.

"Why?"

"Hmm?" The legendary ghost flicked a claw. The Rocket flinched, then relaxed when he realized she'd only pulled the remote to her. When the instinctual fear Silver felt at her activating her power passed, he stiffened.

"Why would it be absurd?" he asked again, licking his dry lips.

"The birth of a Transcendent is a momentous occasion. The birth of one, and the creation of three more in a single day, is unprecedented in my lifetime. It would be rather absurd for me not to know of the incident," the Fog responded.

"Creation? You can create Transcendent Pokemon?" the rocket asked, taking a deep breath to steady himself. Perhaps this was the secret they needed to keep the next survivor of the Mewtwo project alive, and loyal.

"No," the ghost uttered while flicking the television on, "Create was a poor description. Their vessels were too wounded to continue living, yet their energy lingered, and, fifty years ago, their energy was poured into new bodies." Silver swallowed. _Pouring souls into artificial bodies?_ This went well beyond the Mewtwo and Genesect projects. The best Team Rocket could do was create Pokemon that had significantly higher chances of becoming a Transcendent.

"What exactly happened there?"

The Fog hummed, her red eyes glazing over as she lost herself in memories fifty years old, "That unremarkable little city, Greenfield, is the place the former Champion's Typhlosion reached the border of transcendence, where the Gyarados known as Wave transcended and… It is where the Unown revived the Three Beasts slain by the First Champion of your Indigo League."

XXX

"I want to kill that Rocket Admin," Ash confessed as he stared at the ceiling. Gore snorted as though he'd said something ridiculous. "I guess it is pretty obvious I'd want to," the trainer conceded while rolling his eyes. _At least he's not acting like I'm made of glass like everyone else._ They stayed that way for a time, Ash counting the seconds between each breath his partner drew and Gore peering at the bay. "I don't know if it makes me a bad person, but I really wouldn't regret it, not at all, it's just that-" The Piloswine's ear twitched, like he knew what Ash was going to say next. The trainer pushed off his pillow, moving into a sitting position with his legs hanging over the side of the bed. "Gramps, he wouldn't want us doing something like this in cold blood, you know? Even if it was to avenge him."

The boar growled and shook his massive brown head in a futile attempt to ebb the fury that accompanied his latest growth spurt. Ash rose with a grunt. "Gore." The trainer leaned on the wall next to the Piloswine. "I'm not saying we're just going to let them off, I'm saying no one wants to see you getting yourself euthanized on account of trash like Rockets," Ash explained in an even tone. "I mean, if it was Giovanni or the Masked Marauder, we could think about going for it. It might even be worth becoming fugitives if we claimed one of their heads as we made our heroic escape," Ash snickered. "We'd be legends for sure." Gore huffed in agreement, the boar's eyes glazed over as he imagined the adventure.

Ash gazed at his partner's form. _Did that piglet that could fit in my lap grow into this?_ He stroked the boar's shaggy brown fur as if to remind himself this was real. Gore stood just under four and a half-feet tall, he weighed so much the ground would give tremors if the boar allowed it to, and the Piloswine's curved tusks had saved Ash's life more times than he cared to remember. _Thank you for not leaving my side, even when it meant you couldn't eat for those three days._ "Partner," the trainer murmured.

Gore shifted to face him. He fell to a knee. "We're definitely going to catch Luke, I promise," Ash said, gazing into brown eyes as deep as his own. The Piloswine met the stare without wavering. Gore's anger had faded slightly, giving way to the fierce determination Ash had come to expect from the Pokemon he'd started his team with. They remained like that for a beat, then the boar huffed and butted his knee lightly with a tusk. Ash smiled. _I love you too, pal._ The trainer recalled his oldest friend in a scarlet flash.

He rose. His smile had fallen into a frown by the time he stood at his full height. _It still feels like I'm betraying you when I laugh, Gramps._ Ash was reaching for his hat when a wave of exhaustion went through him. _It's been a week, but whenever my team isn't around, I feel like the weight of a mountain is on my shoulders…_ It would pass with time. The mood swings, the ache in his chest, the emptiness he felt, they would all pass with time. _Knowing that doesn't make the sense of loss leave any sooner though, does it?_ Ash sighed heavily before turning to look out his window.

The sun peeked over the edge of the horizon, creating an odd blend of oranges and grays as it fought the storm clouds and the moon for dominion over the sky. _It's far enough past dawn now. I should probably go. Everyone's on the porch waiting too._

The trainer watched as streams of rain slithered down his window to gather on the windowsill. It had been raining for three days now. Many of the puddles across the corral were large enough for the young mice Pokemon to swim in. The novelty of the situation died swiftly when the roads were deemed too dangerous to navigate.

Great trainers were such because they formed unbreakable bonds with creatures who harnessed the elements of this world, and the world of distortion known as Giratina. If their connection with their teams could create demons like Hellfang, then perhaps this wasn't so odd. _I wonder if the earth itself is weeping?_ It wouldn't surprise him, Samuel Oak was a magnificent trainer. The dull ache in Ash's chest returned.

Ash grimaced, then turned to grab his hat and supplies. Ash opened his window and peeked out of it. The slide of ice was still thick enough, and the boulder to stop him was set up too. _Good._ Ash lowered a box, then himself on the slide, and he pushed himself down. As he slid he lifted his legs to catch himself. Ash grunted as he caught himself. He reached into his pocket to pull out his little umbrella. Opening it, he looked up into enormous red eyes. Ash froze.

Wave gazed at him, looking entirely unsurprised by Ash's decision. As he stared into calm red eyes as large as his head, the trainer found himself wondering how anyone could consider Pokemon to be intellectually inferior to people. A thin streak of ice materialized in front of Ash. The ice grew and slithered around the trainer. Wave lifted his chin in the direction the ice went, and the trainer turned. A clear arrow pointed to the road beyond his mother's fence. Ash smiled. "I'll be stronger when I see you again, big guy." The Gyarados nudged him him lightly. "So long." The sea serpent rumbled before lying down behind his mother's garden again.

The trainer strode to his family's front porch. His team was waiting there. Though he knew they'd be, the sight still warmed him.

"Everyone good to go?" Ash inquired. His team replied with a croon, a snort, a gurgle, and two quiet yips while Kakuna shot a string of silk to yank himself atop King. The trainer tapped the ball that held his partner. The orb gave a firm wiggle in response to the warmth of his touch. "Excellent." _First, we'll head to Saffron to challenge Dojo. The current leader of the Dojo is supposed to be a real monster._ There were even rumors Kyo used members of his own team in challenges. With his intended route, it would only take a month to get to Saffron, that would be enough time for him to prepare. Ash set his jaw. _If it isn't, we'll stay there until we crush the Dojo Master._

"Guys," he said, as he put his hat on, "We're still aiming to win the League." King shot him a deadpan look. "I guess that was never in doubt," Ash smirked. The expression lasted for a moment before it fell into a frown. He stared at them for a moment before turning to gaze out at Pallet. His eyes fell upon the laboratory quickly. "I want you guys to know I appreciate everything you've done until now," Ash uttered while keeping his eyes on his grandfather's lab. Willow crooned quietly, throwing worried glances at Grace and King. The vixen peered up at her trainer through narrowed eyes while the Kingler leveled a stoic gaze at him.

The trainer took a deep breath and shut his eyes. "I've asked things of you a rookie trainer has no right to ask, but you've never let me down. We've seen, fought, and defeated Pokemon people could go their entire lives without even glimpsing." Ash's eyes opened as he turned back to face his team. "But our path until now has just been the warm up! Compared to my new goal, even defeating the last of the Eight Gyms of Kanto will be child's play!" Ash declared as Gore's Pokeball began to wiggle and the stone around his neck began to heat. "My goal: is to completely destroy Team Rocket!"

"The crimes we saw in Lavender and what happened here, are just raindrops in an ocean! They're thieves, they're murderers, and I'll see their leaders in prison no matter what it takes!" his words began as a hiss and ended in a snarl. Ash unclenched his fists and took a deep breath. "But even a lifetime might not be enough to crush them," he began again when the heat in his chest receded. Hellfire perked up, giving Ash a curious look. "The Rockets were created by a thug who called himself the Masked Marauder more than seventy years ago. My… my Grandfather and Champion Agatha arrested the Marauder, two of his executives, and their teams, but one executive got away," the trainer continued with a swallow.

"It's been over fifty years, but no one's been able to confirm the executive's identity," Ash admitted with a huff, "All we know is Giovanni, who we now know was the Masked Marauder's grandson, was leading Team Rocket before he was even twenty. It doesn't matter how talented he was, Giovanni couldn't have united the various factions so quickly without the help of a monster who knows the underground like the back of his hand."

Grace's eyes narrowed while King gurgled quietly. Willow didn't react, opting instead to gaze at her vines as she thought. _I'm not surprised they've already figured it out, but I thought it would garner more of a reaction than that. And Willow seems to have already come to this conclusion? Gore wasn't surprised either._ Ash tugged on the bill of his hat. "The only way we can defeat them is by cutting the head off the snake completely." Hellfire's ears perked up. "That's right," Ash said while turning to glare at the rain, "We're going to capture the Rocket Executives and every single member of their teams."

Whether it was Karen's Hellfang, Lyra's Meganium, or Wave, the number of powerful Pokemon who were willing to fight for something their trainer loved was too great for Ash to allow any member of the Executive's teams to escape imprisonment. It was also true that Hellfang, Yellow's Raichu, and Lyra's Pokemon only assisted the League when they were nearby. Even so, Ash refused to take risks with these Executive's teams.

King clicked at him while gesturing at the team with his smaller claw. "Usually, a Pokemon won't fight or deal with humans once their trainer has died, but a few have been known to when they want revenge or are nearby. Even one Pokemon from Proton's team supporting Team Rocket would make them a huge threat to any town," Ash explained, tugging on the bill of his hat. King gurgled, satisfied.

"These Executives could have teams as strong as Erika's was in Lavender, but far more experienced." Ash paused to gauge their reactions. King's eyes lit up as Willow's ears perked up. Grace seemed to have decided she was done listening when Ash told her his new goal, and Hellfire's tail wagged in a blur. Kakuna extended his mandibles and glared out at the rain, as if expecting their future foes to emerge at any moment.

Ash smiled. _Kakuna's staying._ He'd never doubted the others, Ash knew he was their human as they were his Pokemon. The trainer's smile morphed into a smirk. "If everyone understands, then it's time we head out." Ash turned to look at his grandfather's laboratory.

 _I hope you're not tormenting yourself over not killing the plague in our region. Please just rest peacefully for once, old man. My generation will definitely finish this battle._

XXXx

Part 1 Final Arc Pallet Arc End!

XXX

Extra

A Gallant Willow!

"Don't eat them!" Ash cried as he sat up. The trainer blinked. He was in the middle of a forest. _And it's nighttime. Weird._ "I guess this is better than King and Gore getting eaten," the trainer mutter, shrugging. The night was when Arbok, Sandslash, and the like came to hunt. He needed to find his team. Ash knew his team weren't in their Pokeballs, though the trainer wasn't sure how he knew that.

"Their crimes cannot be forgiven! Their males must be slain! Their females and offspring must be exiled to Fiore!" a young, feminine voice cried. The resounding cry made Ash cover his ears. _All right, let's check this out._ If there was a gathering, there was likely food. Gore would be there if he had to drag himself by his chin. "We will dye the forest floor red with their-" A gust of wind muffled the voice. Ash didn't need to hear the rest to guess where she was going.

The voice was speaking again in a tone too soft for him to hear over the wind. _You know, it might not be such a great idea to walk to a camp with a leader giving a speech about killing their foes._ Ash shrugged at the thought. It wasn't like he had much choice. There was another quieter cheer and he stepped into a clearing. _Pokemon?_ There were Tangela, Pikachu, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Furret, and even two Eevee. _Where's the speech coming from?_

"We've trained months for this day!" the feminine voice called again. Ash turned to stare at the boulder in front of the crowd. Standing atop it, was a boar Piloswine that had brown eyes that looked as deep as Ash's own. Atop the Piloswine was a green saurian Pokemon the size of a small cat. It wore odd plates of metal he assumed were armor that covered every inch of it save its face and the pink flower on its back. "My loyal herd! At dawn, we attack!" Willow cried, thrusting the sword and shield she held in her vines above her head.

The Pokemon cheered. Gore roared. Ash fainted.

"You don't even have thumbs!" he cried as his eyes snapped open. Ash blinked before glancing at his surroundings. Grace was lying on her side next to the heater, Willow was on her pillow, at the foot of his bed, and Gore was next to the door with his legs in the air like a dead cockroach. King would be sleeping in a tank the center provided. _The Pokemon Center._ Ash sighed, relieved. _Wait, what about Hellfire?_

A low growl to his left made him freeze. Ash turned. In a darkened corner was a black beast with glowing eyes and white teeth at least a couple inches long. It rose and took a step in his direction. "Gyaaaaaaa!" Ash leaped through the center's window.

Hellfire blinked while cocking his head to the side. _Humans are so odd._ The wild dog returned to his bone.

XXX

(Important part)

First off, I hope no one forgot that Gore, King, and Grace have killed before, and will do so again if Ash doesn't rein them in. And Willow was going to kill Hellfire in chapter 11. They're not tame.

I'm doing something of an experiment. I will be doing some small editing for the earlier chapters, please let me know if you get alerts for updates.

I was thinking of breaking up Part 2 of Into the Wild into multiple segments, that way we won't be having long breaks between updates. It's also true forcing yourself to write when inspiration is lacking tends to hurt a story. I'd like your opinion on this, if you have the time.

Btw, Ash got Gore's height off by a couple inches after his evolution, Gore's four-fourish now, and King's over four-six. After Lavender he became better at paying attention to details. (Important stuff over, the rest is me rambling.)

I've actually already plotted out Part 2, so I should have a steady update schedule for the next part.

I really wish would have made it a point to include weaker Pokemon more in the beginning. Also, Gimping Gore right off the bat was a dick move too. Didn't occur to me until later that I never showed Swinub-Gore at his best. Oh well. Too late now.

As always, thank you for reading. My next project should be a Bleach story, but I'm close to four thousand words in part two, so yeah.


End file.
